Mystique
by HanaIchi Ikari
Summary: Japanese Names Used. Rated T for language. Shinji encounters a Xatu, and it transforms him into something he least expects! What else can go wrong? Unfortunately, he hoped too soon. IkariShipping. Altered from End of DP.
1. Transformed

_A/N: This is another Pokémon story from me. ^^ This is IkariShipping, PokeShipping, ContestShipping, and there's others. The names will all be in Japanese._

_Names Used (Translated from Japanese to English): Hikari/Dawn, Shinji/Paul, Satoshi/Ash, Takeshi/Brock, Pochama/Piplup, Kolink/Shinx, Mimirol/Buneary, Dodaitose/Torterra, Manyula/Weavile, Elekible/Electivire, Ringuma/Ursaring, Mukkuru/Starly, Natio/Xatu _

**Mystique****  
CH ****1****:**** Transformed**

It was late in the night and commands were heard throughout the plains.

"Dodaitose, use Frenzy Plant! Manyula, use Ice Beam! Elekible, use Thunder!" A command ran throughout the grassy plains. The three Pokémon obeyed their master to attack the Ringuma facing them. "Ringuma, you use Focus Blast!" As the three sent out their attacks, Ringuma used Focus Blast to counter them. The three offensive attacks were deflected and disappeared into thin air.

Meanwhile, a young girl was roaming throughout the woods, carrying her Pochama and Mimirol in her arms. "Why don't we go to those plains to train for our next contest?" The two Pokémon nodded in agreement. Mimirol's ears twitched and she bounced off the girl's arms. "Ah, Mimirol!"

"Mimi! Mimi!" The bunny Pokémon continued to bounce toward the sounds. They made it out of the woods to see the grassy plain, but there was someone there. "Mimi?"

The girl softly gasped. "It's Shinji… Wow, I never thought I'd meet him again." She watched Ringuma use Focus Blast to counter the three attacks. It had succeeded, but she knew what was coming. "He's probably gonna say…"

"You call that strong? That was pathetic!" Shinji sneered. "Do it again!"

"Oi, Shinji!"

The voice caught Shinji's attention. He arched his neck to take a glimpse of the person behind him. "Oh, it's you… Troublesome Girl…"

"My name is Hikari! Hi-Ka-Ri!" She exclaimed. "How many times must I have to tell you that?"

Shinji had ignored her outbursts instead. "Hn." He returned his Pokémon back into their Poke Balls, except Dodaitose. "Let's go, Dodaitose." With that, the two brushed past Hikari and disappeared in the woods.

She blew. "_Ugh_, he's so annoying! What's his problem?" Pochama and Mimirol attempted to calm her down. "Sorry, guys, but he was the person I least expected to see." Hikari rolled her eyes and shrugged off the previous event. "Alright, Pochama and Mimirol, let's get to work!" The trio got to work with their moves.

Shinji and Dodaitose were heading to their camp in the woods. "Dodai…" Dodaitose growled, stopping in his tracks.

"What is it?" Shinji became alert. He picked up the sound of bushes rustling. "Who's there?" Dodaitose and he braced themselves for any attack, or, if possible, Satoshi. It became silent again. Shinji shook his head and continued their way to their camp. His Pokémon was alert for any suspicious movement or sound. They arrived to their camp, which was located in a large, vacated space around a tall maple tree. "We'll train here." Just as Shinji was about to take out his Poke Balls, Dodaitose nudged his head on Shinji's.

"Dodai." Dodaitose wanted his master to hold the training until tomorrow. Despite his large size, he was very peaceful in nature.

This was something Shinji would never reveal to anyone: Dodaitose had a place in his heart. If Dodaitose wanted to stop his training sessions, he would. He stared at his Pokémon, and then shoved his Poke Balls back into his pocket. "Fine." Shinji sat down on one of the large and wide roots that were sticking out of the ground.

Dodaitose seemed to smile and rested on the ground. His eyes moved to the Mukkuru that landed on the small tree on his back. "Doda."

"Mukku!" it sleepily greeted back. It snuggled with the leaves and slept. Dodaitose had done the same thing.

Shinji stared at the Mukkuru and Dodaitose for a while and dozed off.

Meanwhile, Hikari were trying to perfect the new moves for, perhaps, a challenge with her mother. "Alright! That was great, you two! If we keep this up, we're going to pass the first round for sure!"

"Mimi!"

"Pocha!"

She gained great confidence and enthusiasm, and she needed it. "Alright, let's take another go at it!" Mimirol and Pochama positioned themselves. "Mimirol, use bounce and go up high!" Mimirol used her ears to bounce up high in the sky. "Spin while using Ice Beam to surround Pochama!" She started spinning and a light blue beam shot out from Mimirol's mouth. A spiral-path tower was created around Pochama. "Now, grab Pochama and bounce up to the top!" Mimirol landed on her feet and grabbed Pochama's flipper. They shot up to the top of the tower, landing on the peak.

Hikari evaluated their progress so far. _"They're making fast progress! We'll be able to perfect these in moments!"_

She nodded to herself. "Mimirol, lift Pochama up in the air with your ears!" Mimirol did so. "Now slide down the path while spinning! Don't do it too fast, though! Pochama, use Bubblebeam!" As Mimirol slid down the spiral path and spun, Pochama used Bubblebeam. The bubbles spread around the tower and popped as they went down. The sparkling drops of water not only made them stand out, but it also made the tower shine.

Mimirol and Pochama posed when they reached the bottom.

"That was perfect! You two really outdid yourselves tonight!" Hikari squealed. She took out a small bag of poffins, and handed one each to them. They ate them happily, feeling satisfied with their reward. "Well, that's going to be it for today! Let's go back before the others find out we're gone." The three headed back to the woods to return to their camp.

As they made their way through the bushes and trees, the fireplace gradually came into view. "Ah! I see them! We sure are lucky they didn't wake up yet." Something caught Hikari's eye: Dodaitose. "Oh, hey, it's Shinji's Dodaitose." Her eyes shifted their gaze to the person resting on the large root of the tree. "And… there's Shinji…" Her eyebrow twitched, recalling the words 'troublesome girl' again. "Forget him…"

They arrived to their camp and slipped into Hikari's tent silently. Her Pokémon returned to their Poke Balls and Hikari slid into her sleeping bag, falling asleep moments later.

~.~.~

"Oi, Hikari! Are you awake yet?"

"C'mon, Satoshi, just a few more minutes!" Hikari complained. She didn't want to wake up yet. All Satoshi would do this early in the morning is train and exercise again. It's not that she was too lazy to do it, but she was too exhausted to do so.

"I disagree with Hikari. I think it's too early for us to get up, Satoshi…" Takeshi drawled.

"Not you too, Takeshi!"

Hikari rubbed her head, her face scrunching. She picked up her Pokétch, looking at the time. "Satoshi, it's like six o' clock! Are you insane?"

"Fine… I'll go train alone!" The sound of running footsteps was heard and Satoshi was gone.

"Sheesh, talk about being over-enthusiastic…" Hikari murmured. She fell asleep, hoping Satoshi wouldn't wake them up again with his loud voice.

An hour had passed until Satoshi returned… literally announcing it to the whole landscape. His Pokémon shouted out in agreement. Hikari and Takeshi's eyes snapped open, startled. Once they realized it was Satoshi, they grunted groggily.

"Satoshi, really…?" Takeshi murmured. He stifled a yawn, replacing it with a deep sigh. "Why are you so pumped today?"

"I have no clue!" Satoshi exclaimed, grinning. "When I woke up, I felt a big flood of energy flowing through my blood!" He bent down to touch his toes and stood back up. "Ah, doesn't the morning air smell delicious?"

"Yes, but when you start talking, it ruins the moment, Satoshi!" Hikari shouted from her tent. She got up from her sleeping bag, her longing for sleep disappearing. When she got her hand mirror… "KYAH! My hair!" There were strands and lumps of hair sticking out everywhere! "Not again!" Hikari grabbed a brush from her bag and started working on her hair. "This is a disaster!"

Satoshi and Takeshi chuckled nervously.

A few minutes later, Hikari came out of her tent, her hair in perfect shape. "So what's for breakfast?"

"I'm planning to make some soup for us and for our Pokémon is Pokémon Food," Takeshi replied. "But we're gonna need some more firewood… Ne, Satoshi, can you go find some firewood for us?"

Satoshi nodded. "C'mon, guys, let's go!" Satoshi and his Pokémon followed him.

"Is there anything I could do, Takeshi?"

Takeshi thought for a moment. "Ah, yes, there is something!" He took out the table, chairs, a pot, a blanket, and a large container. He pointed to the opposite of his location. "There was a river nearby and the water is clean enough. Do you think you can go fill this container?"

"Of course! No need to worry!" That famous phrase of hers was the only thing that would get anyone worried. She took out Pochama and ran off to find the river.

"That's when I get worried the most…" Takeshi murmured, nervously smiling to himself.

Hikari was rushing to find the river. She passed the location of Shinji's resting place, only to find it empty. "Huh, he must've left already." They kept walking and found the river. "Ah, there it is!" Hikari kneeled, dipping the container in the water. "Wow, the water does look clean! And it feels cool."

"Pochama!" Pochama had dived into the river, enjoying the water's gentle flow.

Shinji wasn't out of the woods yet, and if he went to the direction of the grassy plains, he'd be returning back to the previous city he was in before. He was stuck walking in a field of tall grass, although Dodaitose was able to brush the grass away with its large body. The way the grass was blocking his vision was irritating him. "Ugh…!" He pushed a bundle of grass that had slapped him. "Damn it…"

_Rustle rustle rustle._

He wheeled around to face whatever had made that sound. _"This had happened last night!"_ he thought. His eyes narrowed and darted back and forth. He caught sight of the tip of the tall grass moving. He cautiously moved a bundle of grass aside and found a Natio before him. "A Natio?"

The wild Pokémon's blank eyes stared at his. Before Shinji could even ignore it, a sudden flash of light blinded him. "Natio!"

"Argh!" Shinji covered his eyes with his arms. A second later, the blinding light had subsided. _"What the hell just happened?"_ was what he wanted to say, but something different had come out instead. "Koli! Koli!" His eyes widened at the sound. He wheeled around, but found no one. Shinji felt something touch his head. He turned his head to find a tail pointing at him. _"WHAT THE-?"_ He jumped. Shinji glanced at his Dodaitose, but found a _towering_ Dodaitose, which was staring at him as if it did not know what just happened.

"Na… tio…" The Natio droned.

"_What the hell did you do to me?"_ Shinji exclaimed. He broke out in "Koli"s, but the Natio seemed to understand.

"_I apologize, but you had startled me to death."_

Shinji's eyes widened. _"Did you… Did you just talk?"_ He shook his head. _"Oh, never mind! Turn me back to a human now!"_ he demanded. But the Natio shook its head. _"Why not?"_

"_I'm afraid it's impossible for me to do so…"_ Natio replied. _"Unfortunately, this type of power is used on enemies that startle me. It cannot be reversed."_

"_So what? Am I supposed to be stuck in this body forever, you little…!"_

"_I do not know, human. I've never done this on an actual human before; therefore I do not know the results."_

Shinji felt his blood boil. _"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T KNOW? YOU'RE THE ONE WHO TURNED ME INTO THIS… THIS… POKÉMON!"_ He gritted his teeth, feeling his body warm up. The next thing he knew, he used Spark! But the Natio dodged and disappeared in the tall grass. _"Come back here!"_ He ran toward the direction the Natio disappeared in, but he couldn't find it.

"_Damn it!"_ He suddenly released another attack and it shot in all direction. It was Discharge! Dodaitose took cover. A high-pitched shout was heard. _"Huh?"_ He and Dodaitose ran towards the shout. _"I'm gonna beat that little bird to death!"_ As soon as Shinji made his way out of the bushes, he came upon a stunned Hikari. She was on the verge of falling into a river. _"…"_

"_Hey, what's your problem?"_ Shinji heard Pochama shout. _"How dare you shock Hikari-Chan!"_ Pochama's beak shone and elongated. She leapt and aimed at Shinji. Fortunately, he dodged it quickly.

"Wait, Pochama! I'm fine!" Hikari reassured. "Wow, that was a really strong Discharge! It's almost similar to Pachirisu's!"

"Koli! Koli!" The Kolink before her was shouting at Pochama, and seemingly, Hikari too.

Hikari tilted her head, observing the Kolink.

"_Wh-What are you staring at? Oi, can't you see I became a Pokémon?"_ Shinji shouted. He caught a glimpse of his reflection in the river. To his horror, he really became a Kolink! His eyes widened, and he leapt away from his own reflection. _"Oh my…!"_ He was frozen from alarm.

"Aw, you're so cute!"

That irritated Shinji. _"Oi! I became a Kolink, you Troublesome Girl!"_ he growled, feeling electricity charging up from his… fur.

"_Wait a minute, are you that Shinji's Pokémon?"_ Pochama asked. _"He's the only human that uses that term with Hikari-Chan!"_

"_Look, you blue penguin, I _AM_ Shinji! A Natio transformed me into this… Kolink!"_ Just as Shinji was about to argue some more, he was picked up by Hikari.

"You are so adorable, Kolink!" Hikari spotted something unique. There were streaks of purple extending from the head to its nose… and she found a backpack embracing Kolink's torso. "Wow, those purple streaks makes you look tough! But I've never seen a Kolink with this color before…" Hikari stared at the bag hanging from its body. "Huh, whose backpack is this?"

Hikari set Shinji down, her hand reaching for the bag. Unfortunately, Shinji was not going to let _this_ girl dig through his bag. He leapt away, growling at her. _"Don't touch my bag or me!"_

"A-ah… Sorry, Kolink…" Hikari kneeled. "I'm just going to see your trainer's PokéDex, so I can see who you belong to."

Shinji now had second thoughts about letting her get his PokéDex. With some clues, he can tell her that the Kolink before her is really Shinji! He hesitated, but shrugged his bag off his back. But he was saved by Dodaitose. He walked towards them, and nudged his head on Shinji's tiny head. _"I thought you were behind me."_

"_I was,"_ Dodaitose replied. _"But since you're smaller, in size, you can run as fast as I did when I was a Naetle. I'm not as fast as you are."_ He blinked. _"But I still can't believe you turned into Kolink… It just seems a bit awkward."_

"Do-Dodaitose?" Hikari murmured. "Whoa, you _must_ be Shinji's Pokémon!" She looked at the small Pokémon in front of her. "You must be Shinji's, too!"

Shinji's brow twitched, his tail scratching the back of his head. _"I swear… this girl is stupid…"_ he murmured.

"_Wait, so you're Shinji's Pokémon?"_ Pochama exclaimed. Dodaitose nodded. _"Then… Where's Shinji?"_

"_Uh… About that…"_ Dodaitose trailed off. His eyes averted their gaze on the small Kolink in front of him. _"This Kolink is him…"_

Pochama tried to suppress her laughter, but couldn't stifle it after all. She started laughing, pounding her flippers on the grass. _"Oh man, I can't believe that the _hardened_ Shinji has become this _adorable_ Pokémon! Well, not that you're as adorable as me, though…"_ She continued to laugh, which confused Hikari.

"Pochama, what's so funny?" Unfortunately, Pochama was too busy laughing, so Hikari gave up. "So if you're Shinji's Pokémon, where is he?"

Dodaitose and Kolink exchanged a look and sighed. Knowing her, she'd be too clueless to figure it out. They shook their head instead.

"_Troublesome Girl…"_ Shinji growled.

Pochama managed to curtail her laughter. _"So if you're Shinji, what do you plan to do while in…"_ She snorted in laughter. _"… in that form?"_ She burst into laughter again.

"_Pochama and Shinji,"_ Dodaitose called. _"This is just a suggestion, but why don't we travel with you guys?"_

"_What?"_ they exclaimed.

"_There's no way I'm gonna travel with this guy!"_

"_And there's no way I'm gonna travel with those idiots and their happy-go-lucky Pokémon!"_

Dodaitose groaned. _"Fine, then do you have any other good ideas?"_ He got them there. _"Exactly… Why don't we just ask Hikari if we can join them?"_

"_Ugh… Fine,"_ Pochama murmured. _"But what are you gonna do about Shinji? You should have an excuse for why he isn't with you, Dodaitose."_

"_Look, you stupid penguin, just butt out!"_ Shinji growled. _"I refuse to stay in this body! What the hell can I do just to get out of it?"_ He rarely broke down in rage like this, but he couldn't help it. Why, of all Pokémon, did he have to be transformed into a Kolink?

"_Shut up, __**KOLINK**__!"_ Pochama exclaimed, putting much sarcasm into Shinji's "new" name. _"Why don't you just accept the fact that you've turned into a Kolink, you purple-haired freak?"_

"_Wow… I thought you were just another clueless and stupid Pokémon, but I guess I was wrong,"_ Shinji murmured. He turned to Dodaitose. _"This is not a good idea, Dodaitose."_

"_Well, this is the only idea I can think of. Besides, if we're not with them and if I'm not around, you may get attacked in this condition."_ Dodaitose sighed, shaking his head. _"Sorry, Shinji. But this is the only way to be safe."_

Dodaitose had finally convinced Shinji that it's possible that he might be stuck in a Kolink's body for a long time and that they should stay with the two trainers and breeder. _"Wait… Do I have to be stuck that Troublesome Girl…?"_

"_Is there anyone else you'd rather stick with? I'm fine with whoever you're with."_

"_If it's that Satoshi, I'd never go with him. If it's that Troublesome Girl, it'd be a bit better, but I am NOT going to perform in contests! If it's Takeshi, I'd be fine, I guess."_

"_Oh, so you'd rather be with Takeshi-San, huh?"_ Pochama asked. _"Are you afraid to be with Hikari-Chan?"_

Shinji ignored her. But he didn't notice that Hikari was behind him, attempting to pick him up. He slapped her hand away with his tail. _"Don't touch me."_

"Ow!" Hikari's hand retreated immediately. She growled, "Knowing Shinji, he probably trained you to ignore us or something." Her brow twitched, raising a fist. "Argh… And to think I thought he was a good guy…" She sighed, observing Shinji. "Anyways, let's find Shinji." Just when Hikari was about to walk back into the forest, her boot was tugged. "Pochama?" Her hand was nudged by Dodaitose. "What's wrong?"

Dodaitose shook his head, gesturing her to their camp with his head.

"Wait, Shinji didn't release you, did he?"

He shook his head one more time, but just a little more frantically.

"Then, is he hurt? Are you two lost or something?"

Once again, Dodaitose shook his head. He stared at Shinji, then Hikari, and finally the camp.

"Are you saying you want to come with us?"

Relieved, he nodded.

"But what about Shinji? Won't he get worried?"

Dodaitose froze. His eyes moved to Shinji, who was staring back at him. _"Can you please say something, Shinji? I can't exactly lie to her…"_

"_Ugh, fine…"_ Shinji murmured. Knowing that humans can't really understand Pokémon too much, he just shook his head. His tail pointed to the bag in front of him. _"Look, Dodaitose, why don't we try to tell her that we're just roaming around? It's better to say that than say that we're lost, isn't it?"_

"_Does that mean you're going to accept the proposal of traveling with them?"_

"_Shut up, Dodaitose… I've got no choice…"_

"Oh, you're just traveling alone?" Something had hit Hikari. "Whoa, whoa, wait a minute! That guy is actually letting you roam around with your friends _alone_?" She was shocked. She never thought Shinji would do something so… cruel – no, that's wrong – kind-hearted – no way – mixed. There's no way he'd let his own Pokémon wander around… Especially with his backpack! When she saw the two Pokémon nod, she blinked hard. "This has gotta be a dream…!"

"_Wow…" _was all Shinji could say. _"So are we going to go or not, Troublesome Girl?"_ Following that saying, Pochama pulled Hikari's arm.

"Okay, okay, Pochama!" Hikari giggled. "Let me get the water container." She reached for the container, but it was nowhere to be found. "Huh? Where did it go?" She looked up to see the container in Dodaitose's jaw. "Thanks, Dodaitose!" Hikari received it and petted Dodaitose's head. "You really are a nice Pokémon, aren't you?" With that, they went on their way.

"…" Dodaitose was slightly speechless. The gesture was so warm and gentle, something Shinji had never done. _"… Why don't you treat us like that…?"_

Shinji's eye twitched. _"Don't. Ever. Ask. Me. Again."_

Dodaitose let out a chuckle. _"Maybe I can get used to you like this after all, Shinji."_

~.~.~

_A/N: This is my first Pokémon __**chapter**__ series, so what do you think? Yes, I know the beginning is a bit boring, but trust me, it gets a bit more funny and ikarishippy later on._

_If you hadn't read my other two IkariShipping fanfics – which are based on Suwamoto's [FanFiction] and Sakura-Hammy's [DeviantArt] work – please read and review them! ^^_

_I haven't figured out a great title for this yet, so I'm just going to use this title for now… Unless people think "Mystique" is an attractive title. _


	2. The Last Day Together

_A/N: Second chapter! And there are more Japanese Pokémon names used. WARNING: This chapter is OUTRAGEOUSLY long! So if you think you have enough patience to read the whole thing, then I will be ever so pleased that I have readers who are willing to read this whole chapter! (UPDATE: Guys, I forgot to mention: The time in this fanfic is when the DP series is going to be over soon. So Satoshi, Takeshi, and Hikari will have to part after this chapter! T^T)_

_Note: Dongkarasu/Honchkrow, Goukazaru/Infernape, Hikozaru/Chimchar, Floazel/Floatzel, Mammoo/Mamoswine, Hinoarashi/Cyndaquil, Usokkie/Sudowoodo, Futaba Town/Twinleaf Town, Ani/Big Brother (Basically, that's Reiji/Reggie) _

**Mystique****  
CH ****2****:**** The Last Day Together**

"Takeshi!" Hikari called out.

"Hikari, did you get enough water?"

"Yeah, but I got some company…" She pointed to Kolink and Dodaitose walking behind Pochama. "They're all Shinji's Pokémon, but it looks like they're roaming around the area without him."

Takeshi looked worried. "Should we look for him?"

"That's what I suggested, but they won't let me search for him. They just said that Shinji let them wander around on their own… or at least that's what I think they said."

The eldest male thought for a moment. There was no way Shinji would release Dodaitose, although, Kolink was one option. But the releasing was out of the question. He didn't think Shinji would let his Pokémon wander around with his backpack, unless he got hurt. But the two Pokémon didn't seem worried enough. Maybe they got lost? It was possible, but Hikari said that they won't let her look for him.

"Well, I can't think of any other reason for them to be alone…"

"Me neither. Moreover, I'm getting worried. What if something did happen to Shinji?" Hikari stared beyond the forest, worried.

Takeshi crossed his arms. "Well, anyways, let's try to make them feel at home. Why don't you and your friends join us too, Kolink and Dodaitose?" Kolink had jerked his head to the side, but Dodaitose nodded. "I wonder where Satoshi is."

"Who knows…?" Hikari shook her head, crossing her arms. "He's probably getting more firewood than we need." She walked over to Kolink, squatting in front of it. "Hmmm… I've never seen you with Shinji before." She smiled. "Maybe he just caught you. Am I right?" Kolink ignored her. "Hmph… Typical of you to ignore me…" Hikari walked away, leaving Pochama, Dodaitose, and Kolink alone.

"_Will you stop that?"_ Pochama exclaimed.

"_Stop what?"_ Shinji murmured.

Dodaitose sighed. _"Here we go again…"_ His remark earned him stares from Pochama and Shinji.

"_Stop ignoring Hikari-Chan! It's not going to help you any further if you keep treating us like that!"_ Pochama started waving her flippers around frantically. _"You know, at this rate, you might end up alone without any companions to keep you company!"_ She panted, trying to calm herself down. _"Hey, at least eat with us with all your other Pokémon. Sure, it might be out-of-character, but it's better that way."_

"_How can it be better that way?"_ Shinji asked. There was no way he was going to eat Pokémon Food or with the others' Pokémon. "_Besides, I already had breakfast."_

But his stomach said otherwise with a large growl.

Pochama raised a brow in amusement. _"Uh-huh… Right… You didn't really have breakfast, did you?"_ Laughter escaped her beaks.

"You must be hungry, Kolink. I prepared some Pokémon Food for your friends too, so why don't you let your friends out?"

"_That's a good idea, Shinji. Let's get them out right now and explain what happened to you."_

"_Fine."_ Shinji shook his bag off again, and unzipped it with his teeth. _Ugh, this is so irritating! I have no use of my hands, which has turned into paws,_ he thought. He dug his head around for his PokéBalls. Unfortunately, he couldn't get them out. _"Ugh, this is hopeless!"_

"Here, I'll help." Hikari suddenly came out of nowhere, picking up his bag. "Let's see… Ah, got them!" She took out four PokéBalls. She threw them in the air, and four Pokémon came out. Manyula, Ringuma, Dongkarasu, and Eleboo came out. "Hey guys, it looks like you're gonna travel with us for a while… I guess Dodaitose and Kolink can explain to you. Oh, and it's almost time for breakfast, so hurry up!"

The four Pokémon eyed her, but turned to Dodaitose and… Kolink?

"_So… Why is there a Kolink with you, Dodaitose?"_

"_Yeah, we never saw Shinji catch one before…"_

"_Look guys,"_ Dodaitose called. _"Trust me on this, because I've witnessed it. Even ask Pochama over there."_ He gestured to Pochama who was helping Hikari set down the bowls. _"This Kolink over here is actually Shinji. He startled a Natio and… in its defense, it turned him into a Pokémon…"_ He looked at his companions' faces. _"Yes, I know it seems impossible, but it's true!"_

Manyula and Elekible were left staring, while Dongkarasu and Ringuma smacked themselves with their wing/paw. Suddenly, Manyula and Eleboo broke out in laughter. Dongkarasu and Ringuma were staring at them disapprovingly. All this would only provoke Shinji and make him lash out at them.

"_What's so funny…?"_ Shinji asked, his tone picking up in a murderous way. _"Dodaitose's telling the truth…"_

The two Pokémon stopped laughing.

"_S-Sorry, Shinji. We just couldn't believe it, you know…?"_ Elekible stammered.

"_Ah, whatever! I'm still very irritated that I'm stuck in this damned body!"_ Shinji exclaimed. _"Anyways, now that you got the truth, we have no choice but to travel with… them."_

The four Pokémon exchanged skeptical looks, but since Shinji never lied, they believed him.

"_Alright… So we're going to be traveling with them until you're back to normal, right?"_ Elekible asked. Shinji gave a nod. _"Sure, I guess I could deal with that…"_ Everyone else agreed with Elekible.

Dodaitose sigh in relief. _"Thanks for understanding, guys. And sorry that we had to put you up with this…"_

"_Tch…"_ Manyula murmured. _"Whatever."_

"Hey guys! I'm back!" Satoshi came back, his arms full of firewood. His Pokémon were also bringing an armful of firewood. As soon as he arrived, he took note of the new Pokémon. "Who are they?" After he scanned the six Pokémon, something hit him. "Aren't they Shinji's Pokémon?"

"Yeah, but they're without him. Have you seen him while you were walking around?"

"Actually, no. We went around this whole forest to look for the firewood, but we couldn't find Shinji anywhere," Satoshi replied. "Come to think of it, I didn't see anything or anyone that might've looked like Shinji or his Pokémon."

Hikari sighed. "I see…"

"Well, here's the firewood." Satoshi and his Pokémon piled up the firewood in front of Takeshi.

"Sa-Satoshi, don't you think you got too much?" A drop of sweat rolled down his cheek. "I mean, I don't need this much to start a fire."

Satoshi laughed. "Sorry, Takeshi! But we kinda got carried away!" He noticed a Kolink among Shinji's Pokémon. "Whoa, did Shinji catch a Kolink? No way!" He walked over to the Pokémon and squatted in front of it. "Hey, Kolink! My name's Satoshi and this is my partner, Pikachu!"

Pikachu hopped on his shoulder, waving his paw in the air. _"Hi, Kolink! It's nice to meet you!"_

"_We've met before, and I never want to hear that phrase again. Well, 'pathetic' isn't really the correct way to address you, of course."_

Pikachu blinked in surprise. _"Uh… Sorry, but who were you talking to?"_

"_I'm talking to you and Satoshi."_

"_Satoshi is not pathetic!"_ he defended. _"Did Shinji tell you that?"_

"_Tsk, I am Shinji!"_ he blurted out.

The statement immediately piqued Pikachu's interest. _"Whoa, did you just say you're Shinji?"_

"_Pikachu, I'll explain everything to you, but can you keep it a secret?"_ Dodaitose requested. _"It's something that he doesn't want a lot of Pokémon to know…"_

"_Um… Sure?"_ Pikachu jumped off Satoshi's shoulder and skipped to the large Pokémon.

"What's wrong, Pikachu?"

"Pika… Pikachu!" Pikachu reassured that he'll be fine, so Satoshi can go help Hikari.

Satoshi was too dense to even look deeper within his partner's words, so he left.

"_So what's the story?"_ he asked.

Dodaitose looked at Shinji for approval, but he didn't seem to care. _"Well, we were walking in the forest, and Shinji startled a Natio. Because of that, the Natio transformed him into a Pokémon out of fright. That's pretty much the basic story."_

Pikachu scratched the back of his head with his tail. _"Well… I got the story, but what can I do?"_

"_What you could do is to get any of those three away from me!"_

"_Ugh!"_ Pikachu exclaimed. Despite his anger, he had to come up with a plan. He turned to Dodaitose. _"Well, all I could do is prevent any suspicions, but I'm gonna need Shinji to help. He's the only one who can create the results here!"_

"_Thanks, Pikachu. I really appreciate your help."_

"_It's no problem, Dodaitose! So… why don't you guys go eat breakfast first? I'll talk to Shinji for just a minute; it won't take long."_ Pikachu approached Shinji, observing him. _"Well, Shinji, all I want you to do is keep a low profile. Can you try to lessen your attitude? It's pretty much like the only thing that gives away a big clue that you could be Shinji. If you keep acting so arrogant like that, I'm definite that suspicions will arise."_

Shinji didn't want to admit, but Pikachu was right. At first, he thought Pikachu was just a Pokémon who was _just_ like his trainer: Dense and having lack of common sense. Pikachu guided him to the large group of Pokémon who were eating _"Hn, you seem to be smarter than him at least…"_ he murmured.

"_What did you say?"_

"_Hn."_ He shook his head smugly, following Pikachu. _"Oi, I've got one question to ask you."_

"_If it has anything negative about Satoshi, Hikari-Chan, or Takeshi-San, then don't even think of asking."_

"_It's not that,"_ Shinji snapped. _"I'm asking about Goukazaru."_

"_If he finds out, he'll probably be alarmed or surprised at first,"_ Pikachu replied. _"But I don't think he'll tell anyone. He's a really good Pokémon, and he probably wouldn't mind having you around as a Kolink."_ His voice was gentle at first, but it turned to amusement at the last phrase.

Shinji rolled his eyes. His stomach lowly growled. _Not again…_

"_Oh? You're hungry?" _Amusement, once again, graced Pikachu's voice_. "You have to admit… That is so not you."_

"_Hmph."_ They arrived to the group, and everyone greeted him warmly. He was not a fan of family-like warmth, so he shuddered. Pikachu wheeled around, smiling. _"What are you smiling about?"_

"_I want to see whose Pokémon you'd want to eat with. Do you want to eat with Satoshi's, Hikari's, or Takeshi's Pokémon?"_ Pikachu's smile suddenly turned smug. _"Which will it be?"_

"_Who did my Pokémon choose?"_

"_Well, it's mixed. Some went to Satoshi, some went to Hikari, and some went to Takeshi."_ He was about to speak some more until his stomach growled loudly. _"Oops… Well, I'm gonna go eat my breakfast. Hurry and choose or you might not get breakfast at all."_ With that, he left to join his friends.

Shinji was left, staring in disbelief. There was enough trouble for him, but he was now to eat with other Pokémon? Moreover, he had to eat Pokémon Food? _There is no way I'm going to eat Pokémon Food!_ He thought. Just when he thought his stomach would growl again, a bowl of Pokémon Food was set before him. He looked up to see Takeshi, smiling at him.

"You should eat, Kolink. You must be starving."

Shinji stared at the food awkwardly. Strangely, it smelled pleasant enough to eat. The realization of his thoughts snapped him back to reality. _"Ugh… Why do I have to eat Pokémon Food?"_ Grimacing, he took a small bite, wondering if it will taste really bad. But it was the complete opposite! It was so strange! It tasted normal – like human food – despite its dull brown color and the tedious shapes. His stomach begged for more. Unfortunately, he didn't want to die of hunger, so he kept eating… hesitantly. It was as if he was afraid the food will kill him when he becomes normal again.

"_Enjoying the food, Kolink?"_

Shinji looked up, realizing it was Goukazaru who had greeted him. _"Oh… It's you…"_

"_Huh?"_ Goukazaru shrugged it off. _"So you're Shinji's Pokémon, huh? Is he doing well?"_

This conversation was making Shinji feel awkward. Hikozaru _was_ his original Pokémon after all, but Shinji had released him. Now Hikozaru had evolved all the way to Goukazaru.

"_Who knows?"_ he replied. Shinji took one last bite and walked away.

Goukazaru sighed. _"You… act like Shinji, too…"_ When Shinji turned his head around, Goukazaru put on a smile. _"Well, that's great! That shows how fond you are of Shinji!"_ Realization dawned on his mind. _"Oh yeah! I forgot to introduce myself! I'm Goukazaru, Satoshi's Pokémon."_

"_I get it,"_ Shinji murmured. Then he continued on his way to… wherever. He decided to go under the shade of the table the three people were eating on. It was rather cool under there. He sat down, but it didn't feel comfortable, so he lied down. _Great, now I can't bear the heat of the sun,_ he thought, annoyed. _How long do I have to put up with this?_

"Ah! Hey, Kolink!"

Shinji looked up, and found himself near Hikari. _Oh joy…_ He ignored her and rested his head on his arms. The ground felt very cool against his… stomach.

"So what's going to be the temperature for today?"

Takeshi shrugged. "Well, I guess it's going to be really hot today. It might be 90 degrees or over." He wiped his forehead, where a thin layer of sweat was covering it. "Hopefully, we'll be able to find a lake or so."

"Well, how about we do some battling, Hikari? That is… Before we part ways…" Satoshi suggested. "And of course, before the weather gets any worse than this." He chuckled nervously.

"Sure! Why not?" Hikari looked down at the small Pokémon curled near her feet. "Ne, Kolink, do you want to be in a battle with me?"

"_Not in your life, Troublesome…"_ Shinji murmured, shaking his head.

"Well, okay then. But remember, just because Shinji isn't here doesn't mean you can't train."

"_I'm a human, not a Pokémon, idiot!"_ Shinji sneered. But of course, in Hikari's eyes, he'd only be yelling at her with 'Koli's.

Hikari giggled nervously. _Wow, Shinji's Kolink sure has a short temper…_ She leaned on her chair, complimenting Takeshi's cooking. "So, Satoshi, about that battle… Do you want to make it a 3-on-3 battle or something?"

"Hmmm… How about a Double Battle?"

"Sure!"

"I'll be the referee," Takeshi volunteered. Of course, he was always the referee. He took the plates and asked Floazel to come with him. "Oh yeah, you can leave the table alone. The umbrella should provide shade for the other Pokémon."

"Okay!" Hikari and Satoshi gathered their Pokémon and chose the two perfect Pokémon. Hikari chose Mammoo and Pochama. Satoshi decided to go with Goukazaru and Dodaitose.

"_Interested, Shinji?"_ Pikachu's voice came from beside him. Shinji turned his head to him, but stayed silent. He simply shrugged. Pikachu groaned, his shoulder slumping. But he composed himself and his determined smile came back. _"It's not much, but those two should have a battle before everyone else parts ways."_

_So all of you aren't going to be traveling together after all,_ Shinji thought.

"Ready, Hikari?"

"I'm ready!"

Takeshi raised his right hand. "Alright! This is going to be a Double Battle! Let the battle begin!" He put down his arm, signaling the start of the battle.

Hikari made her first move. "Pochama, use Bubblebeam! Mammoo, use Ice Shard on the bubbles!" As Pochama used her Bubblebeam, Mammoo shot his Ice Shard at the bubbles. They turned into large balls of ice and were aiming at Goukazaru and Dodaitose.

"Goukazaru, use Flamethrower to melt the ice! Dodaitose, use Razor Leaf at Pochama and Mammoo!" As the two Pokémon did so, although Dodaitose got hit, the leaves aimed at Pochama and Mammoo. Pochama, having a small body, managed to evade it in time, but Mammoo stayed still and took the hit. It didn't do much damage at all.

"Then… Mammoo, use Hidden Power and aim at Dodaitose! Pochama, use Whirlpool at Goukazaru!" Suddenly, there were orbs of light surrounding Mammoo, and Pochama whipped up a Whirlpool from her beak. They all aimed at their destined opponent.

Satoshi smiled. "Goukazaru, spin while using Flamethrower! Dodaitose, you know what to do with Energy Ball! Then, use Leaf Storm!" A large stream of flames burst from Goukazaru's mouth, and he started spinning on the ground. A ball of blue-and-green energy formed from Dodaitose's mouth, but instead of shooting it, he swallowed it. Suddenly, the trees on his back flared up with green energy. Then, he used Leaf Storm to pierce the orbs of Hidden Power. Some of the leaves had managed to swift past the orbs and aimed for Mammoo.

Mammoo, being unable to dodge easily, took the hit and it slightly hurt him.

Meanwhile, Goukazaru's fire counter-shield was strong enough to turn the large whirlpool into steam!

Hikari smirked. "Not bad, Satoshi! Goukazaru's counter-shield was awesome!"

"Thanks, Hikari! But your attacks aren't bad either!"

"Thanks!"

As the battle went on until everyone was exhausted, the other Pokémon sat under the shade watching the battle. Shinji soon found himself surrounded by Pachirisu, Mimirol, Pikachu, and Gureggru. _"Oh great, I got company…"_ he murmured. He tried to find his Pokémon, but they were somehow interested in the battle taking place ahead. _"Tch, they're so pathetic…"_

"_Come on, Shinji. Can't you just let them do what they want for once?"_ Pikachu whispered. _"No offense, but you're pretty helpless in this condition."_ His statement slightly angered Shinji, but Shinji knew Pikachu was right. _"You know, at this rate, one of them has to train your Pokémon."_

Shinji's eyes widened at that. _"What?"_ he whispered harshly. _"There is no way I'm going to let any of __**them**__ train my Pokémon!"_

Pikachu sighed. _"You are really lucky I can't lose my temper here…"_

Shinji ignored him and continued to watch the battle. Soon, it was over and Satoshi and Hikari's Pokémon had outdone themselves with excellent results!

Goukazaru made a beeline for Shinji. _"Ne, Kolink, has Shinji ever mentioned anything about me?"_ he asked shyly. He was rather excited when it came to topics related to Shinji, but he was just shy today.

Shinji smirked. _"Yeah, he mentioned some Pokémon named Goukazaru who beat him in the Shinou League."_

"_Oh, that's me! He actually mentioned that?"_

"_Yeah."_ Shinji rolled his eyes, still smirking.

"_Wow…"_ Goukazaru genuinely smiled. _"Hey, when you meet Shinji again, tell him that I said, 'Thanks for everything,' will you?"_

"_Hn."_ Shinji stirred. _"Whatever."_

"_You know, you really act just like Shinji."_ Goukazaru thought for a moment. _"No way!"_

Shinji was alarmed. _"What?"_

"_Are you mocking him?"_

Shinji's brow twitched. _"No."_ Pikachu suddenly appeared with Pochama. _"What do you two want now?"_

"_Can you come with us for a second?"_ Pikachu asked. Pochama and Pikachu head to the direction where the river was. _"We need to talk to you immediately, and your Dodaitose is coming with us too."_

"_What is there to talk about right now?"_

"_Again, it's your attitude, Shinji!"_ Pochama exclaimed. _"You just don't know when to stop that arrogant behavior, don't you?"_

"_Arrogant? Look who's talking…"_ Shinji murmured.

"_What did you say?"_ Pochama was about to tackle Shinji, but Pikachu held her still. _"Let me go, Pikachu!"_

"_Stop, Pochama! Calm down!"_ Pikachu pulled her flipper to prevent any fighting. _"Let me talk to him!"_ As soon as Pochama submitted into silence, he exhaled. _"Shinji, to put Pochama's previous comment in a softer way, you can't keep that arrogance around us any longer."_

"_I'm trying to put on a low profile,"_ Shinji growled. _"But for some reason, you guys are really annoying me."_

"_Shinji,"_ Dodaitose called out. _"Can you at least try to have some fun today? Everyone else from our group already got used to Satoshi, Hikari, and Takeshi's presence as if they don't mind them."_

"_They did?"_ Shinji asked in disbelief. He groaned, and then sighed. _"This is what I get for becoming a Kolink, huh…?"_

"_And I thought you and Satoshi parted in good terms, too…" _Pikachu suddenly had an idea. _"Ne, Shinji, I have a deal for you… And this deal is the only thing that might be able to help you out."_

"_Sorry, the fact that I'm stuck in a Kolink's body was extremely angering me." _Shinji arched his head to Pikachu, interested. _"So what's the deal?"_

"_If you can reduce that arrogance and ignorance by at least half and work with us, Pochama and I will prevent anyone from revealing your identity,"_ he elaborated. He held out his tail, smiling. _"Is it a deal?"_

"_Hmph, fine."_ Shinji felt embarrassed to do this, but it felt like the only way to touch that tail of Pikachu's. His tail stretched out to touch the tip. Then, the deal was made. _"So what do you want me to do from now on?"_ Shinji looked up at Dodaitose, who was blinking at him in surprise. _"Well, I'm still refusing to believe I transformed into a Pokémon, but what can I do now?"_ He shook his head. _"If I'm going to be stuck like this for a long time, I might as well give up and give in until then."_ Half of it was true. He refused to give up searching for a cure, but for now, he has to give in.

"_Wow, Shinji…"_ Dodaitose whispered. _"That's a really big change of heart…"_

"_I know. I hate the feeling."_ Shinji gritted his teeth, trying to suppress the string of curses trying to escape his lips.

"Pikachu! Pochama!" Satoshi called out. "Where are you guys? Hey, where are Shinji's Dodaitose and Kolink?" The sound of bushes rustling was heard and they found Satoshi staring at them. "There you guys are! Come on! We're about to go to a lake!" He wiped his cheek, where a drop of sweat rolled down. "We're gonna go swimming! You and your friends can join us too, of course."

By 'you and your friends', he must've been referring to Dodaitose and Shinji.

~.~.~

Just like Satoshi said, the group headed for a small lake nearby. To add, there was a small waterfall too! Almost every Pokémon jumped in immediately, trying to cool them off. Goukazaru, Hinoarashi, and Usokkie stayed away since water would weaken them. Of course, there were some others like Pachirisu who wanted to cool off under the shades of the trees.

Some of Shinji's Pokémon decided to join the others.

Shinji merely watched everyone from under a tree. The shade was cool enough for him. When he heard a squeal, his eyes jerked to an oncoming body. _"WHAT THE…?"_ Before he could react, he was nearly crushed by the impact of the body. Shinji felt himself use Discharge after he realized how much pain he was in. For a moment, the body was lifted, and he scampered away.

"Ow…" a female voice murmured.

Shinji wheeled around to see Hikari, electrocuted. _"Oi! You are REALLY heavy!"_ But then again, it was reasonable… He was a small Pokémon after all.

As if Hikari understood him, she apologized. "Sorry, Kolink! I tripped, and I didn't see you there!" She got up, and found her hair in a mess. "Oh no! Not my hair again!" She rushed to a tree, where Satoshi, Takeshi, and her backpacks were lying around. She got out her brush and started combing her hair frantically. Shinji noticed that Hikari was wearing a different outfit, which he guessed as her swimsuit.

"_Where's Satoshi and Takeshi?"_ he wondered. As if on cue, Satoshi called out from the top of the waterfall. Takeshi was with him. _"You must be kidding me… He's planning to jump from there?"_

"Hey, Hikari!" Satoshi called. "Wanna jump in with us?"

Hikari flinched. "Uh… It's okay, Satoshi! You just jump ahead and I'll be playing with the other Pokémon!"

"You sure, Hikari?" Takeshi asked. "This might be your only chance of a lifetime to jump a waterfall!"

From that, she hesitated, starting to have second thoughts. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad, although it would be her first time. "Uh… I'll try?"

"Great! Come on up here!" Satoshi invited.

"Okay, hold on a minute!" Hikari crawled to Shinji. "Ne, Kolink, can you jump with me?"

"_Huh?"_ Shinji raised a brow. _"Why would I jump with you? For all I know, you could squeeze me to death from fright."_

"Please, Kolink? Please, please, please?"

Shinji shook his head, but Hikari grabbed him anyways. _"Hey, let me go! I didn't say 'yes', Troublesome Girl!"_ Unfortunately, he couldn't use Discharge, because if he did, Hikari would fall to her death. She was already climbing the rocks. _I have no choice, do I…?_ he thought.

"Hikari, you made it!"

"Yeah, well, I'm taking Takeshi's advice," Hikari murmured. She carried Shinji in her arms. "Don't worry, Kolink. I promise I won't squeeze you." After Takeshi jumped, Hikari braced herself by looking down. "Wow, it's really high…" She felt her knees slightly shake. "Ready, Kolink?"

Shinji shrugged.

"Here we go!" Hikari jumped. She shrieked, nearly deafening Shinji, but she didn't squeeze him to death. They landed in the water with a loud splash. Hikari tried to swim up as fast as possible, so Kolink would be able to breathe. "How was it, Kolink?"

Once again, Shinji shrugged. He was wet everywhere, but it was refreshing against the sun's heat. Once they got out of the water, Shinji leapt for land. _"Thank goodness, that's over…"_

"_Hey, Kolink!"_ Mimirol called out. _"Wanna join us?"_ She pointed to a beach ball.

Shinji stared. _"No thanks."_ He stood under the same tree, enjoying the cool shade.

"_Oh come on, Kolink!"_ Pikachu insisted. _"You know you can't stay under there all day."_ He ran over to Shinji. _"C'mon, Shinji, be a sport! At least play one match with us."_

"_I'm not really interested in volleyball right now."_

"_You sure? This might be your last chance of playing together…"_ Pikachu murmured. _"Everyone is going to part ways by tomorrow, Shinji. The least you could do is having fun before parting."_

Shinji lifted his head. _"So today's your last day together with those two and their Pokémon?"_

"_Well… Today is the last FULL day we have together. Tomorrow, we only have the morning to be together."_ A sad smile appeared on Pikachu's expression. _"It's going to be sad to part ways, but I'm sure we're going to meet again someday."_ His paws slapped his cheeks together. _"No, I shouldn't be feeling down today. I should be having fun! Just like what you should do too, Shinji."_

"_Why?"_

"_You might never see any of us again."_ Pikachu stopped Shinji from saying anything else afterwards. _"Hold on… Shinji, do you think you can stay up long enough until everyone else is asleep? But I want you to keep your distance away from them."_

Shinji raised a brow.

"_If there's a possibility that Natio's ability might wear off tonight, you might become human, and it might shock everyone else."_

"_Okay, but what if it doesn't wear off?"_

"_Look, Shinji, just like my previous question… I want you to stay up until everyone else is asleep because you and I have to discuss something once they are asleep."_

"_Fine…"_ Suddenly, a beach ball was thrown at his face! _"What the hell was that for?"_

"_Um… Motivation?"_ Pikachu laughed. _"Come on, Shinji…"_ He waved the beach ball in front of Shinji's eyes. _"You know you want to…"_

Strangely, Shinji wanted to hit that ball back at Pikachu. _"One match, got it?"_ He joined in the group to play.

~.~.~

Finally, dusk had fallen and Takeshi had cooked dinner for everyone – literally – even for the Pokémon! It was a special treat today: Delicious cold noodles for the Pokémon and the three Pokémon trainers.

"Wow, Takeshi. I sure am gonna miss your cooking," Satoshi commented, laughing. But slowly, his laughter died. His remark caused the atmosphere to tense.

"We're all going to part ways, aren't we…?" Hikari murmured.

"Yeah, well, we enjoyed this whole day together, didn't we?" Takeshi reminded. "It was a great time with you two." He leaned on a nearby log. "So what are you planning to do when we part?"

"Obviously, I'm gonna go to the next region!" Satoshi declared.

"Well, I'm going to go back to my home region to take care of my family," Takeshi explained.

Satoshi glanced at Hikari. "What about you, Hikari?"

"Uh… Well…" she looked down. "I don't really know yet." She sighed. "I just never thought about it, you know?" Hikari gave out a weak laugh. "… with the parting thoughts and all."

"Yeah, it'll be a sad parting, but hey, it was a fun journey with you guys."

"Let's make a promise, then!" Satoshi exclaimed.

"A promise?"

"A promise of crossing paths once again!" Satoshi held out his pinky finger. The other two held onto each other's and promised each other that they will cross paths again someday.

Takeshi yawned. "Well, it's getting late. We should sleep now."

"Okay." With that, everyone went into their sleeping bags, falling asleep immediately. It was fun being with each other, but tomorrow is when they will part ways… in Futaba Town, Hikari's hometown.

An hour had passed, and Pikachu lifted his head. He slyly walked around to check if everyone was asleep. They were. He walked to Shinji, who was watching his PokéBalls. _"Shinji, let's go. I found a spot near the river where we can talk privately."_

"_Okay."_ Shinji followed Pikachu to an area where the moon was clearly visible. _"So what do you need to talk to me about?"_

"_Well, it seems it's already the next day… and you haven't transformed back to your normal self yet…"_

"_So?"_

"_So… When Satoshi, Hikari-Chan, and Takeshi-San part, who are you going to go with?"_ Pikachu tilted his head. _"You could go with Satoshi, because he's going to the next region like you, although you were planning to go to the Battle Frontier. But Hikari-Chan's hometown is in the same region as your hometown, so she can take you home. Takeshi-San is going to his home region, but I'm not sure if you went there already."_

Shinji blinked. He hasn't thought about that yet. _"Who do you think I should go with?"_

"_Well… Takeshi-San might be a last-minute option. Satoshi or Hikari-Chan would be your main choices."_ Pikachu stared at Shinji, who seemed to be thinking deeply. _"I'll give you some time. But you have to tell me before they wake up, okay?"_

"_Hn."_ Shinji sat on his… hind legs, looking at the clear water. _If I go with Satoshi, I'll be able to go to the next region, but if I didn't change back yet, then, he might train me and my Pokémon to enthusiastic death. If I go with Troublesome, I might figure something out with Ani or with her. But then again, if I go with her, there are many chances that I'll have to watch her contest things… or whatever,_ he thought.

This was troubling him. If he went with either one of them, there would be some negative results. If it was Takeshi, then he'd have to deal with Takeshi's Pokémon and another trip around a region he competed in. (Not to mention that Takeshi's Gureggru was incredibly clever.) Who should he go with?

After half an hour of thinking, he came to a conclusion.

"_Oi, Pikachu."_

"_Yeah?"_

"_I know who I'm going to go with."_

~.~.~

_A/N: It's a cliffhanger. xD I'm sorry, but I had to do it. :3 Anyways, I guarantee that this fanfic will have quick updates. So wait until then! I REALLY thank you for reading this far! It's about 2,000 more words than the first chapter, but I'm glad that you had enough patience to read it. ^^_


	3. Farewell, Let Us Meet Again!

_A/N: Sorry for the late update or so! ^^" Anyways, thanks for sticking with me until now. Oh yeah, if you see any berries there that aren't listed in Japanese, well… That's because the Japanese names of the berries would only confuse people and make them look up and down and up and down just to get the names. xD_

_Note: Ayako/Johanna, Jindai/Brandon (Battle Pyramid King), Nii-San/Older Brother (Another way to say 'older brother), Reiji/Reggie, Kurogane/Oreburgh_

_MAJOR WARNING: There is a spoiler in this chapter for the new Pokémon season after the Sinnoh season is over. That's when the Sinnoh season is over and Satoshi (Ash) goes to a new region. Read this on your own will! Well, actually, I only mention the name of the new region. xD_

**Mystique****  
CH ****3****:**** Farewell, Let Us Meet Again!**

"_So who's it going to be?"_

"_I guess I'll go with Satoshi."_

"_Are you positively sure you want to go with Satoshi?"_

"…" Shinji was silent. _"Never mind…"_ he hissed. He turned to Pikachu. _"Who do you think I should go with?"_

"_Well, the only main option you have is Hikari-Chan,"_ Pikachu murmured. _"Ah! Actually, if you do go with Hikari-Chan, then she can call Reiji-san and send you and your Pokémon back to him."_

"_Oi, oi, I know sending back my Pokémon is good, but me?"_ Shinji asked. _"I don't even have a PokéBall!"_ The thought of being captured in a PokéBall made him shudder. _"So if I can't be sent to Ani, he has to come to Troublesome's house and pick me up, doesn't he?"_

"_Yeah, but why do you sound so disgusted at that suggestion?"_

"_Ani may not look it, but he's incredibly clever. Once he realizes I'm in this condition, he will not leave me alone for the rest of my life."_ Shinji groaned, imagining the scene. _"He's going to torture me with whatever he can think of…"_

"_Shinji, we don't have time for this. Who are you planning to go with?"_

"_This is really quick for me to even think about!"_ Shinji sneered. _"Hey, when do you wake up in the morning?"_

"_Um… I wake up when I hear the Mukkuru singing."_ Pikachu smiled nervously, scratching the back of his head. _"Just as a secret between you and me… I'm always the first to be awake than everyone else."_ He found Shinji staring at him. _"What?"_

"_You actually wake up earlier than everyone else?"_ Shinji raised a brow. _"Well… All I can say is that my impression of you has changed greatly…"_

"_What do you mean by __**that**__, Shinji?"_ Pikachu had picked up a dark tone.

Shinji smirked. _"Nothing at all."_ He stared at his reflection in the water. _"Anyways, I'll think about it and I'll tell you in the morning. You can go back to sleep."_

As if on cue, Pikachu yawned and rubbed his eyes. _"Okay then… Good night, Shinji."_ He ran back to the camp and curled up beside Satoshi's head. Shinji was left alone, thinking about the decision that might change the other's impression of him.

"_Ah, Kolink? You're up, too?"_ A familiar voice called out to him. It was Goukazaru, and Shinji flinched.

"_Something you need?"_

Goukazaru shook his head. _"No. I couldn't sleep."_ A moment of silence had passed until Goukazaru spoke again. _"I already knew it was you, Shinji."_ Shinji stared at him, his eyes as wide as an apple's. Goukazaru chuckled. _"Every time I talked to you, you just kept revealing yourself more and more to me. Well… It's either that or…"_ He looked at Shinji, genuinely smiling. _"… or either you still have a place in my heart and I just know you."_

Shinji shrugged. _"Who knows? It just might be that."_ He slightly smirked. _"What kept you up?"_

"_I don't know. I just heard you and Pikachu's voice, so I woke up. Pikachu just went to sleep and now I'm here."_ Goukazaru looked up at the moon, his eyes gleaming. _"So what's this about traveling with either Satoshi-Kun or Hikari-Chan?"_

"_I have to choose the person I should go with. That's all there is to it,"_ Shinji stated. _"Who do you think I should go with?"_

"_Well, knowing you, I think being with Satoshi-Kun would immediately get you lashing out at him…"_ Goukazaru laughed nervously. _"Sorry, but that's just what I think…"_ He stared at Shinji, who wasn't even glaring at him. _"This is just my opinion, but I think you should go with Hikari-Chan."_

"_Why?"_

"_One, she lives in Shinou, so she can take you to Reiji-San. Two, it's probably safer to go with her because there might be trouble up ahead. Three, she's a very good Poffin cook. Four, she'll probably be down in the dumps when Satoshi-Kun and Takeshi-San has to leave."_ Goukazaru smiled sadly.

Shinji rolled his eyes, shaking his head. _"Can you give me an explanation for reason two and four? I don't really care about reason three, and I already thought of reason one."_

"_Well, do you remember the time I evolved into my current stage?"_

"_Yeah. You controlled it and sent those guys flying into the sky."_

"_Exactly, Shinji!"_ Goukazaru exclaimed. _"I'm positive that those guys might aim for her before those three part ways. And the parting will cause reason four. From all the events and experiences Hikari had been through, she's surely going to feel sad that they'll part!"_ He trailed off for a moment. _"You might be able to comfort her a bit."_

Shinji stared at Goukazaru, wide-eyed. _"Comfort her? How am I supposed to do that?"_ He shook his head disapprovingly. _"There's no way I'm doing that. Can't that penguin and her other Pokémon comfort her?"_

"_Well, of course, but from my experience, it's always more effective when others console you too."_ Shinji didn't say anything at Goukazaru's statement. _"The moon's really pretty, isn't it?"_

"_I guess so. It's not that bad."_

"_Well, I have to go back to sleep."_ Goukazaru stood up and headed towards the camp. He stopped, turning his head to see Shinji. _"By the way, I might advise you to go in Hikari's tent. Apparently, she's guarding your bag."_ By the time Shinji wheeled around in reaction, Goukazaru was gone.

"_SHE got my bag?"_ Shinji exclaimed. He hopped his way – due to the Pokémon lying around – to the large orange tent placed near Satoshi and Takeshi's sleeping bags. _I swear if she dug through my stuff, I will personally deliver a deadly blow to her mind!_ He bit the zipper and opened it enough for him to slip through easily. He yawned.

He searched around for his bag, and surely enough, his bag was near Hikari's head. It was so close that his bag nearly touched the tip of her nose.

_Why, of all people, must it be her guarding my bag?_ Shinji asked himself. But then again, she didn't seem the type to dig through other's personal belongings unless it was urgent. He quietly walked to his bag, taking the bag into his mouth. But his body felt heavy. _Maybe just a… _He yawned again. _Just a few minutes of sleep won't hurt._

With that, he fell asleep.

~.~.~

_Mukku. Mukku. Mukku._

Shinji woke up to the sound of the Mukkuru chirping. _Damn, I must've fallen asleep for the whole night!_ He blinked the blurry vision away and found himself face-to-face with Hikari! _Oh shit!_ He tried to leap away but he was blocked by felt. _Huh?_ He found himself in Hikari's sleeping bag. _H-how the hell did THIS happen?_

He scrambled out of the blankets. His heart was racing so much from alarm. Shinji calmed down and dragged his bag outside. There, he found Pikachu waiting for him by the river.

"_Good morning, Shinji. Uh… Before you tell me your decision, what happened in there?"_ Pikachu tilted his head in curiosity. _"I passed by Hikari-Chan's tent, and I heard you gasp. What happened?"_

"_I'd rather not talk about it."_ Shinji's eye twitched. _"Anyways, I decided to go with…"_

"_Oh, wait! Before you tell me…"_ Pikachu splashed water at Shinji's face. _"Now you'll be fully awake and tell me without hesitation."_ He grinned at Shinji's glare. _"Alright, so what's your answer, Shinji? This is your last time of making a decision."_

"_I'll be going with Hikari."_

"_Okay, just for confirmation…"_ Pikachu looked at Shinji straight in the eye. _"So you, Shinji, will be going with Hikari-Chan when they part. Confirm it now or choose Satoshi."_

"_I'm definitely sure I'm going with her and I won't change my mind,"_ Shinji declared. _"Although I'm sure it's going to be hell being with her…"_ he murmured.

"_Did you say something?"_

Shinji blinked, and shrugged. _"So what do you do when you're awake this early?"_

"_Nothing much. I just explore around and if I find some berries, I bring them to Takeshi-San."_ Pikachu smiled. _"If you have nothing to do, then come with us, Shinji. It'd be good to have some company for once."_ He beckoned Shinji by gesturing him to come. Pikachu had succeeded with excellent results! Shinji had followed him anyway. It also turned out that Goukazaru was waiting for them too. They got Takeshi's basket to put the berries inside.

They passed by a few trees and bushes, finding a variety of berries everywhere. Pikachu and Goukazaru each picked two of each type they could find until their basket was full. By the time it was full, colorful hues were exploding from the berries they picked: Oran Berries, Pecha Berries, Cheri Berries, Aspear Berries, and Sitrus Berries. The three sat down beside the river.

"_So what do you want me to do with these?"_

"_Eat them."_ Goukazaru and Pikachu took a bite of a Pecha Berry. Pikachu noticed Shinji staring at it, as if the berry would kill him.

"_Oh Arceus, the berry won't kill you, Shinji!"_ Pikachu held out his Pecha Berry. _"It's completely safe to eat."_

Shinji's eye twitched as he hesitantly took a small bite of the pink fruit. Just as he did, a sweet flavor danced on his tongue. He's tasted a Pecha Berry before, but it never tasted this sweet!

"_What did I tell you, Shinji?"_ Pikachu raised a brow, smirking. _"The life of a Pokémon isn't that bad, right?"_

"_Tch…"_ Shinji rolled his eyes. He didn't want to eat, but unfortunately, his stomach wanted more by growling.

Pikachu burst out in muffled giggles. _"Your stomach… It… it… it… It growled again!"_ Even Goukazaru went into full-hearted laughter.

"_Shut up!"_ Shinji exclaimed. _"It isn't funny!"_

"_Oh, it is SO funny!"_ Pikachu replied with laughter. _"Oh, Arceus, my side is hurting!"_

Soon, their laughter died into small giggles.

"_We are REALLY sorry, Shinji, but we just never heard that from someone who's so serious,"_ Goukazaru explained. He breathed in and out to calm himself down and continued to eat his Pecha Berry. They've picked quite a lot. _"Here, Shinji."_ He handed an uneaten Pecha Berry to Shinji. _"We picked a lot, so help yourself."_

Shinji accepted it hesitantly, but he ate it anyways. By the time he was done, he was already full. _"So what are you planning to do with the rest?"_

"_We usually give them to Takeshi-San, because he uses them to cook sometimes. Either that or he grinds them and sprinkle it on our Pokémon Food."_ Pikachu leaned on the basket, his hunger satisfied. _"I wonder what the next region is going to be like… Right, Goukazaru?"_

"_Yup! I just know there are new Pokémon that we haven't even seen yet!"_ Goukazaru exclaimed. He and Pikachu continued to converse with each other. Shinji was lying under the shade of the tree again.

"Hey, thanks for helping them out, Kolink."

Shinji turned to see Takeshi kneeling beside him. _"Well, I had nothing to do."_

Takeshi gently smiled. "Is that so? Well, thanks for joining them anyway." He went to pick up the basket, thanking Pikachu and Goukazaru for their hard work. "Ne, Kolink, who are you going to be with until you go back to Shinji?"

Shinji gestured with tail by pointing to Hikari's tent. _"Unfortunately…"_

"Oh!" Takeshi patted Shinji's head. "Well, don't worry, if something bad happens, you and your Pokémon can help protect her." He sadly smiled. "It's going to be a bit hard for Hikari to part, but I'm sure she'll pull through. Oh, and there's something you should always know about Hikari." Takeshi held out one finger. "Whenever she says, 'No need to worry,' that's when you should get worried the most. When that famous phrase of hers escapes her lips, she gets into big trouble later."

"_Tsk, whatever…"_ Shinji murmured. _When will this Kolink situation be over…?_ He growled, wanting to smack his forehead for startling that Natio before.

"Well, I should be preparing breakfast. I'll also notify Hikari that you and your friends will be going with her." Takeshi called Goukazaru over to help him with the fire. Pikachu and Shinji were given the job to wake the others.

"_I'll wake up Satoshi and you wake up Hikari, okay?"_

"_Fine."_ He forced himself to enter Hikari's tent. _"Hey, wake up, Troublesome Girl."_ His tail poked her forehead, but she refused to wake up. _"This girl isn't going to wake up, is she…?"_ He groaned, shaking his head. Just when he was about to get out of the tent, he saw Hikari blink her eyelids open. _"Oh, now you wake up?"_

"Good morning, Kolink… Sorry if you were trying to wake me up…" Hikari murmured, rubbing her eyes. She felt around for Shinji's bag. "W-where's Shinji's bag?"

Shinji slightly turned his body to reveal his bag firmly strapped on his back. Hikari sighed in relief. He rolled his eyes.

"Phew, if I lost his bag, Shinji would've killed me…" Hikari shuddered at the thought. "So how did you end up in my tent last night, Kolink? You were trembling, so I put you in my sleeping bag for warmth."

His brow twitched. _You are the most troublesome girl I've ever met,_ he thought. _"Anyways, you have to wake up, Troublesome Girl. Takeshi's making breakfast."_

Hikari sniffed the air. "Well, I'm going to change into my clothes, so go, Kolink." She carried Shinji out of her tent and released her Pokémon out of their PokéBalls. "It's breakfast time, guys! I'm gonna change, so you guys have some time to stretch!" With that, she zipped her tent shut and shuffling noises were heard.

Pochama noticed Shinji staring at the tent. _"What are you staring at?"_

"_Is she always like this in the morning?"_ Shinji sweat-dropped.

"_Yeah, but hey, she _is_ a girl after all,"_ Pochama giggled. _"So, Shinji, have you felt any changes in your body?"_

"_Unfortunately, no,"_ Shinji replied. He walked away, but stopped abruptly. He smirked. _"Oh, by the way, I have to travel with you and that Troublesome Girl over there."_

"_WHAT?"_ Pochama collapsed on the floor from her stretching. _"What did you say?"_

"_Hn, you heard me."_ Shinji continued his way, smirking to himself. _"And you can't do anything about it. I decided, and Pikachu and Goukazaru helped."_

"_Aw, man!"_ Pochama exclaimed, slumping. _"This isn't fair!"_ She fell into a fit.

Hikari suddenly came out, fully dressed, calming Pochama down.

Shinji seemed to be amused by her behavior towards his decision. He climbed on a rock, where it was near Takeshi – who was cooking today's last breakfast. He peered at the pot. There was soup and it had the most delicious aroma he's ever smelled before.

"It smells good, doesn't it?" Takeshi asked. He slowly poured some soup on a small dish and sipped it. "Perfect. Why don't you try some?" He poured another small amount on the dish and held it out to Shinji. "It's probably my best work so far."

Shinji stared at the soup for a brief second and sipped it. It was unlike him to say that the soup was warm, creamy, and tasted like a gourmet meal, but he was only able to describe it that way. _"… Wow."_

"Didn't I say so?" Takeshi chuckled. "The soup's almost ready, so why don't you go call everyone else to help with the tables?"

Shinji responded with a shrug. He walked to his Pokémon, where they were joining Hikari's Pokémon for a short exercise session. They were practically surrounding Hikari's tent. _"You guys were awake already?"_

Dodaitose slowly stood up with a smile. _"Good morning, Shinji."_ The others also greeted him a good morning.

"_By the way, I have something to tell you."_

"_What is it?"_ Elekible asked, finishing his stretching.

"_We're going to be with __**her**__ for a while,"_ Shinji gestured to Hikari. _"Probably until we're going to back to Ani."_

"_Is that so?"_ Manyula murmured. _"Oh joy…"_

Shinji rolled his eyes, knowing that it was expected of Manyula to say something like that. _"Anyways, Takeshi-San said that breakfast is almost ready."_

Everyone rushed to Takeshi to get the table and picnic blankets. Shinji watched his Pokémon help out. Meanwhile, he approached Pikachu, who was still trying to get Satoshi to wake up.

"_Are you kidding me? You still can't wake him up?"_ Shinji asked, amused.

Pikachu groaned. _"Yeah, he's always like this. I just can't seem to wake him up this time."_

"_I got an idea."_ Shinji walked over to Satoshi, a evil smirk on his frame. _I am __**definitely**__ going to enjoy this,_ he mused. He charged up his body to release electricity. He used Discharge on Satoshi.

"GAH!" Satoshi's eyes snapped wide open. "O-okay… I'm… I'm awake…" After the shock passed, he rushed to help Takeshi and Hikari.

~.~.~

"Are you ready to go, guys?" Takeshi asked.

Satoshi and Hikari nodded. Futaba Town was only a few miles away, and Satoshi and Takeshi's reserved ferry was going to leave this afternoon.

Of course, Shinji had to tag along. He was walking between Takeshi and Hikari, trying to catch up to their pace. Unfortunately, his paws were about to give way to exhaustion.

_Ugh, damn this stupid transformation…!_ He felt himself slow down.

"Pi?" Pikachu noticed Shinji slowing down. "Pika! Pika pi!" He nudged Satoshi and pointed to Shinji.

"Ah, Kolink, you tired?"

Shinji jerked his head to the side.

"Man, Kolink isn't really warming up to me, is he?"

"Oh well, he must be tired from walking too much." Hikari picked up Shinji and placed him on her shoulder. "Why don't you rest, Kolink? It's going to be bad if Shinji finds out that you became exhausted from walking." She giggled as they finally entered Futaba Town. "We should be near my house, so why don't we rest there for a while?" She looked at her Pokétch. "And we have enough time before you leave."

"Sure! That'd be great, Hikari!" Satoshi exclaimed. "Thanks!"

"Kolink, are you doing okay?" Hikari asked. Shinji ignored her and stayed silent. "Oh Arceus…"

"Hey, isn't that your mother over there?" Takeshi asked. He pointed to a woman who was waving them over.

"Ah! It is!" Hikari ran to her mother with smiles. "I'm home, mom!"

"Welcome back, Hikari." She gave Hikari a heart-warming hug. "Oh, Satoshi-Kun and Takeshi-Kun, are you going to be staying here for a while?"

"Yes, Ayako-San," Takeshi replied. "But we can only stay here for about 2 hours. Satoshi and I have a boat that's going to leave this afternoon."

"Oh!" Ayako rested her cheek in her hand. "So you three are going to part ways today?"

"Yeah…" Hikari murmured. "It's been a fun journey, wasn't it, guys?"

"Yup!" Satoshi exclaimed. "I met a lot of friends and rivals today!"

"I agree with Satoshi. There were new Pokémon to learn about too," Takeshi added.

The three laughed together and continued to talk with each other, while Shinji watched them. He soon grew bored and rested his head on his forelegs. _I won't be able to battle Jindai if I'm going to be stuck like this! I need to hurry and find a solution to this or I will never defeat him,_ he thought. While he tuned out Satoshi, Takeshi, and Hikari, he tried to list solutions to his situation. Unfortunately, he found none.

Shinji sighed, glaring at whatever he could find.

An hour and a half passed, and Satoshi and Takeshi were getting ready to leave for the ferry. But before that, they released their Pokémon from their PokéBalls to bid farewell to each other.

"_Ne, Shinji…"_ Goukazaru quietly called out. He put on a determined smile. _"Thanks for everything."_

"_What did I do?"_

"_You're the foundation of my determination. You're the one who helped me out in the beginning."_ Goukazaru grinned. He held out a fist. _"I'll see you again someday, Shinji."_

Shinji gave Goukazaru a small, but genuine smile. _"Sure."_ He pounded his tail with Goukazaru's fist.

"_Bye, Shinji. I'll see you again!"_ Goukazaru returned to his PokéBall in a flash of red light.

After that, Satoshi, Hikari, and Takeshi shared a group hug.

"Let's cross paths again someday!" Hikari shouted out. They dispersed. "You both stay healthy, okay?"

"Okay, you too, Hikari," Satoshi replied.

"And try not to get in too much trouble, okay?" Takeshi requested.

"No need to worry!" Hikari smiled, holding out a thumbs-up. She waved them good-bye until they faded into oblivion. "Bye, Satoshi! Bye, Takeshi!" Her hand sharply dropped to her side. "…" She went back inside the house, making a beeline for her room upstairs. Shinji silently followed after her. He somehow knew he had to keep Takeshi's promise.

"_She's already depressed from parting? I thought she'd do better than that…"_ he whispered to himself. He entered her room without Hikari knowing he followed her. The room was slightly larger than he expected. There was a single bed placed near the window with potted plants and a Mukkuru alarm clock placed on the shelves, a fireplace, a mirror, a green carpet, and a yellow bean bag. Not to mention, the whole room was painted PINK.

Hikari flung herself on the bed. She was fortunate that her bed was dust-free. "…" She buried her face into her pillow, but she didn't _dare_ cry. Crying was useless to her now. She made a promise to Satoshi and Takeshi that they'll meet again someday! There was no reason for her to cry if they were going to cross paths again! But she felt lonely.

Shinji quietly climbed the bean bag and curled up on it.

"Wait a minute!" Hikari suddenly shouted. Her sudden outburst made Shinji's heart jump. "I gotta call Reiji-San!"

"Koli." Kolink called out from behind her.

"Come on, Kolink! We need to call Shinji's Nii-San!" Hikari grabbed Kolink and ran towards the phone. She quickly dialed the number to Shinji's house.

On the screen, Reiji appeared. "Hello?"

"Reiji-San!"

"Ah, Hikari-Kun!" Reiji's expression looked slightly surprised. "How are you?"

"I'm doing fine, thanks!" Hikari replied. She held out Kolink. "Um, Reiji-San, I found Kolink in a forest with Dodaitose and Shinji's bag." She also held up Shinji's backpack. "Did… Did Shinji possibly go home without his Pokémon and his bag?"

"Actually, Shinji hasn't come home yet…" Reiji replied. "Ne, let me see that Kolink." As Hikari held Kolink closer, Reiji observed it. He saw purple streaks extending from the head to its nose and it had black eyes. Kolink would have sky blue fur – except under the torso – and yellow eyes. Something clicked in his head. "Hikari-Kun, are there any psychic Pokémon in forest you were in?"

"Yeah. I saw a few Natio on the way out. Why do you ask, Reiji-San?"

Reiji only chuckled. "Oh, it's nothing." He crossed his arms. "Hikari-Kun, do you mind if I can talk to Kolink privately?"

Hikari blinked. "Um… Sure?" She set Kolink on the shelf and left the living room.

"So, Shinji… You ran into a Natio, didn't you?" Reiji whispered.

"_Shut up…"_ Shinji replied. He knew Reiji wouldn't understand Pokémon language, but he'd surely know what Shinji WOULD be saying.

"It's not Natio's fault. You're the one who startled the poor thing in the first place."

"_It's not his fault? What are you talking about? That Pokémon is the one who startled me!"_ Shinji hissed.

"Okay, Shinji, whatever you say…" Reiji shrugged with a smug grin on his face. "This is quite an interesting turn of events. Good luck." He chuckled. "Hikari-Kun! I'm done talking to Kolink!"

"I'm coming!" A rush of footsteps was heard from the stairs and Hikari descended from the staircase. "So… what about Shinji?"

Reiji raised a brow. "Well, I'd expect him to go to the next region. But then again, from previous battles, he'd want to battle Jindai again." He crossed his arms, chuckling. "But I think it's best for him to go to another new region. And I'm not saying this because Jindai defeated me; I'm saying this because I think Shinji needs to take a rest."

"_ANI!"_ Shinji exploded. _"Why in the world would I want to go to the next region to take a __**break**__?"_

"I don't think Kolink likes the idea…" Hikari mumbled, flinching at Shinji's sudden explosion.

"Well, _Kolink_ will have to get used to it," Reiji replied.

"Oh yeah, what about Shinji's other Pokémon? Should I send them over?"

"No, no, I don't think you need to," Reiji reassured. "You should take care of his bag, Pokémon, and Kolink." Once again, Kolink broke out into another explosion. Hikari tried to prevent him from lashing out at the phone.

"Okay, before I answer that… Reiji-San, there's something bothering me. Shinji has all 6 PokéBalls, but Kolink doesn't have one."

"Well, the Kolink must've followed Shinji on its own."

"You think so?" Hikari asked uncertainly.

"Of course," Reiji nodded. "So is it okay with you to take care of Shinji's bag and his Pokémon?"

"W-well…" Hikari's hand tightened on the strap. "I don't know. It feels wrong for me to take care of it without his consent."

"I'm sure it'll be fine, Hikari-Kun," Reiji reassured. "Oh yes! Hikari-Kun, are you possibly going to a new region too?"

"I'm not really sure yet. I'm thinking of going to another region right now…"

"How about Isshu?" Reiji suggested. "There are more regions, I'm sure, but you should try going there."

Hikari sweat-dropped, slightly taken aback by Reiji's enthusiasm. "Uh… Are you sure?" Reiji nodded. "Well, this is very sudden, so I'll have to think about it first."

"Alright. Call me when you decide, okay?" Reiji took a moment to wink at Kolink.

"Okay. Bye, Reiji-San!" With that, the screen went black and the phone call was over.

Hikari was still dazed. She did not know why Reiji insisted on the idea of her going to Isshu… while carrying Shinji's bag! She never knew what Reiji was always thinking…

Meanwhile, Shinji was more than just shocked. His jaw was wide open and he was glaring at the screen. _I. Will. Tear. His. Head. When. I'm. Back. To. Normal!_ Without realizing, he accidentally released a Discharge, taking Hikari along with the electricity. _"… Good Arceus… I'm gonna get a lecture from her…"_

She was laughing instead. "Don't worry, Kolink. I can understand why you did that." She set him down on the floor. "If I was told that I had to stay with someone I barely knew, I'd probably be angry too." Hikari patted Shinji's head. "Sorry, Kolink. I really wish I could send you back to Shinji, but I don't know where he is…" Her eyelids slightly lowered, worried. "I… I hope nothing bad happened to him."

"_Oh, so you only care about me when I'm in trouble?"_ Shinji raised a brow, rolling his eyes.

"Anyways, I'll be in my room…" It seems that the loneliness had caught up to her again. She went upstairs again and Shinji hesitated to follow her this time. Suddenly, Ayako came by.

"Oh dear…" Ayako stared at Hikari with worried eyes. "I wish I could let her Pokémon help, but they're exhausted." She bent low to Shinji. "Kolink, do you mind cheering her up?"

Shinji sighed and pursed his lips. He quickly and quietly followed Hikari to her room again.

"_Get over it, Troublesome Girl. You guys promised that you'll meet again someday, didn't you?"_

Hikari smiled sadly. "Sorry, Kolink. It's pretty pathetic of me to get depressed about this parting, but I can't help it. I just wonder how long it's going to be until I meet Satoshi and Takeshi again." She lied on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

Shinji once again placed himself on the yellow bean bag, watching Hikari. She was quite calm right now, unlike the time in the Kurogane City Gym. He lifted his head and jumped on the foot of her bed. It was surprisingly soft.

He curled up beside her feet, his head facing away from her.

~.~.~

_A/N: Sorry about the Isshu part. ^^" This chapter is pretty much dedicated to the end of Pokémon: Diamond and Pearl. Anyways, what did you guys think? Review please! :D_

_By the way, my twin brother said hi! x3 _


	4. Shinji's Training Session, Day 1

_A/N: This is chapter 4! I'll probably be focusing more on my Pokémon fics than the Naruto and Bleach fics because… Seriously, I am like running out of ideas for them! *screams from frustration*_

_Note: Dr. Nanakamado/Professor Rowan, Rentorar/Luxray _

**Mystique****  
CH ****4****:**** Shinji's Training Session, Day 1**

Shinji knew he fell asleep for a _long_ time, because he was woken by Hikari _in the morning_. _"Ugh, damn this body. It's exhausting me so much…"_

"Good morning, Kolink!" Hikari smiled. "Wow, you must have been really exhausted. You slept from yesterday afternoon to now!" She picked him up, holding Shinji in her arms. "It's time for breakfast and mom cooked us something good!"

"_Oh joy…"_

As they went downstairs, Hikari asked, "Do you think I should go to Isshu after all? It sounds like a fun place."

"_Troublesome…"_ he muttered. But strangely, he was becoming interested of Isshu.

Hikari finally arrived downstairs, letting Shinji go to his Pokémon. He still was hesitant about eating Pokémon Food and he weren't that hungry. He just sat near his Dodaitose.

"You're late, Hikari." Ayako set a plate of pancakes and a cup of milk in front of Hikari. "Here you go." She sat down across from her daughter, eating her breakfast also. "So who is this Shinji you and that young man talked about yesterday?"

Shinji's ears caught his name. He glanced up at Hikari, who just swallowed a piece of her pancake. "Shinji's a Pokémon trainer we met at Dr. Nanakamado's lab. Satoshi and he battled that day and became rivals. Since I was only a beginner that day, I thought the battle was amazing!"

"I'm sure it was, Hikari. It was your first time experiencing a battle on your first day, too!" Ayako sipped her cup of coffee. "What is Shinji like?"

Now _this_ was piquing Shinji's interest. What would Hikari's answer be? He rolled his eyes. _She'll probably say a lot of negative things,_ he thought.

"At first I thought he was a Pokémon trainer who had no sense of showing respect to his Pokémon." She turned to Shinji's Pokémon. "No offense, guys." She gave a small pat on Shinji's head. "But he's not that bad. I can understand why he pushed his Pokémon to their limit – although it's a bit harsh – and I also understood why he didn't like Satoshi."

"Oh?" Ayako slightly looked surprised. "Why is that so?"

"I wish I could tell you, but I feel like it should be a secret between Shinji and me." Hikari smiled nervously. "Sorry, mom."

"Well, I sure can respect that decision."

Shinji was staring at Hikari in confusion. _And I thought she was going to lash out at her mom,_ he thought. He shrugged it off and walked over to where the phone was.

"Do you like this Shinji boy?"

Hikari choked on her last piece of pancake, and Shinji fell over. She drank her milk to wash it down. "Mom! It's not like that!" Ayako giggled. "Oh Arceus, MOM!"

"Okay, okay, I was kidding, Hikari!" Ayako sang. She took the empty plates and placed them in the sink. "Can you wash the dishes when the Pokémon are done eating?"

"No problem, mom!"

Shinji was glaring at the phone. _I'm going to make your life miserable when I'm back to normal, Reiji,_ he thought to himself. Without a moment of hesitation, he climbed onto the shelf and dialed his house number with his tail.

Reiji appeared on the screen. "Hikari-Kun?" He saw Shinji instead. "Hey, Kolink."

"Kolink, what did you do?" Hikari asked. She went over to see Reiji on the phone. "Hi, Reiji-San!"

"Uh, did you call me, Hikari-Kun?"

"No, it must've been Kolink." Hikari rubbed Shinji's head. "He's pretty smart, if you ask me."

"Yeah…" Reiji trailed off, a smile gracing his features. "I'm sure Shinji is very lucky to have such a smart Pokémon. But it's too bad he couldn't see this, isn't it?"

"Yes, it's such a shame, isn't it Kolink?"

Shinji grit his teeth and he growled at his brother. Oh, how we wanted to lash out at his brother so much!

"Kolink, you shouldn't growl at Shinji's brother!" Hikari exclaimed. "He's complimenting you, so calm down, okay?" She scratched the back of his ears, which deeply triggered a point where Shinji stopped growling immediately. She stopped scratching when Reiji was chuckling. "Um… Reiji-San, are you okay?"

"I'm sorry, Hikari-Kun, but I just can't help myself!"

Shinji's brow twitched and he jerked his head to the side. _Damn it!_ Why did he have to give in to the desires of a Pokémon? _And I thought I never had those kinds of points…_

"Anyways, sorry to bother you Reiji-San," Hikari apologized. "Did you have breakfast?"

"Yup." Reiji crossed his arms. "So did you think about it?"

"Yes, but I'm still unsure of what to do." Hikari shrugged. "What would you do, Reiji-San?"

"I'd go, actually. But again, it's your choice."

"Well…" She sighed. "Alright, but can you give me time to think until tomorrow?"

Reiji nodded. "Of course. Take all the time you need."

"Reiji-San, what do you think Shinji would do? I have his Pokémon after all, and I don't know where he is." Hikari continued to pet Shinji's head.

"Well, I don't think he'll mind. You'll probably find him in Isshu someday."

Hikari's face brightened. "You think so? He must be so worried about his Pokémon!"

"Maybe, but who knows? He might be somewhere." Reiji chuckled.

Hikari tilted her head in confusion. "Huh?"

"A-ah, it's nothing. Don't mind me." Reiji reassured. "Anyways, think about it, okay?" Hikari nodded, and the call ended.

"Who were you talking to, Hikari?" Ayako poked her head out of the kitchen. "You seem very close with him."

"Oh, that's Reiji-San. He's Shinji's older brother."

"So what's this about going to Isshu?"

Shinji was banging his head against the wall, muttering something about his luck. _"Stupid… Luck… Older brother… Kolink… Kill…"_ He continued to mutter to himself and his plans to "murder" Reiji when he comes back home. He just hoped that this was all a _really_ bad nightmare and he'll just wake up to find himself in the same forest before with his Dodaitose. But alas, the pain from hitting himself told him that it was real.

Meanwhile, Hikari finished talking to her mom and found Shinji banging his head. "Kolink, what are you doing? You'll get hurt if you do that." She gently rubbed the area where he mostly hit, soothing the pain. "Hey, why don't we talk to my Pokémon and your friends? Maybe they can help me decide." She carried Shinji and gathered their Pokémon outside for a small meeting.

"_Shinji, what are we doing here?"_ Dodaitose asked.

"_Troublesome Girl is going to ask us if we should go to Isshu."_ Shinji moaned, not wanting to think about it. _"Apparently, the choice is up to you."_

Hikari sat on the grass, scanning the group first. "Well, sorry to take time away from your morning, but we have something to discuss about." The Pokémon murmured to each other in confusion. "I'm thinking about going to Isshu – a new region – but I want your opinions. What do you think I should do? The choice is all up to you: Stay in Shinou or go to Isshu. That goes for you too." She pointed to Shinji's Pokémon. "You still are Shinji's Pokémon after all."

"Hikari! Clean the Pokémon dishes!" Ayako called out.

"I'm coming!" Hikari left the backyard to help her mother.

"_A new region? That would be awesome!"_ Piplup exclaimed. _"What do you think?"_ she asked her fellow companions. _"Do you think we should go with her?"_

"_Yeah!"_ Pachirisu agreed. _"I mean, if we go to Isshu, there could be more contests we could compete in! Hikari-Chan can give us new clothes and we might learn new moves and… and…!"_

"_P-please calm down, Pachirisu-Chan,"_ Togekiss requested. _"I'd love to go on a new region, though. I can spread happiness to others through the contests."_

Mammoo nodded, but went to sleep. Mimirol agreed and so did Hinoarashi.

Shinji's Pokémon all looked at their master for support.

"_Didn't you say you wanted to defeat Jindai in the Battle Frontier?"_ Manyula asked.

This was troubling Shinji. Of course he wanted to defeat Jindai once and for all, but how can he go with a Kolink's body? He bit his lower lip, showing that he was torn between disagreeing and agreeing. If he stayed here at Shinou, he can wait until he turns to normal. If he went to Isshu, he would have to travel with Hikari, but he can train his Pokémon with new Pokémon.

Apparently, he murmured his thoughts out loud because his Pokémon were discussing about what he said. He mentally smacked himself for saying his thoughts out loud. _"So what do you guys think?"_

"_Well, I think it's more reasonable for us to go to Isshu,"_ Ringuma mumbled. _"Sure, Jindai did defeat us all easily, but in Shinji's condition, it's probably better for us to go to Isshu."_ Everyone stared at Ringuma, including Shinji. _"What?"_

"_I sorta agree with Ringuma, too."_ Dongkarasu whispered.

"_Me too,"_ Dodaitose agreed.

They looked at Elekible and Manyula in uncertainty.

"_Are you guys okay?"_ Togekiss asked. She approached Shinji's Pokémon in worry. _"Is there any problem here?"_

"_I-it's nothing, really. Elekible and Manyula are just uncertain about us going with her,"_ Dodaitose explained. He slightly fell for Togekiss's innocence.

"_Oh?"_ Togekiss glanced at the two Pokémon discussing to each other. She approached them. _"Does it bother you that you'll be traveling with us?"_

"_It's not that,"_ Manyula hissed.

Togekiss slightly winced from Manyula's coldness. _"U-um, I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset anyone,"_ she stuttered. _"A-anyways, have you decided yet?"_

Manyula sighed, looking up at Elekible. _"What do you think, Elekible?"_

"_Well…"_ Elekible scratched the back of his head. _"I have to agree with Ringuma, too."_ He took a glimpse at Shinji, but was surprised at how Shinji wasn't angry. _"Shinji, are you sure you're okay with what we decide?"_

Shinji didn't reply, but kept his head low.

Manyula had also agreed. Now everyone, including Hikari's Pokémon, looked at Shinji.

"_Wait, everyone. Let me talk to him privately,"_ Pochama suggested. With that, everyone nodded and went to their business. _"Shinji, are you okay?"_

"_Obviously,"_ Shinji sneered. _"I'm always like this."_

Usually Pochama would explode at him, but she somehow felt like she knew what was going on. _"Shinji, your Pokémon are trying to protect you. It's not like they don't want to help you defeat that Jindai guy. They really care about you!"_

"_What the hell?"_ Shinji retorted. He was surprised by how Pochama saw through him!

"_Looks like I was right,"_ Pochama breathed out. _"Please, Shinji. Try to put yourself in their shoes. What would you do if you saw yourself like this? What if you turn back to normal in a long period of time? It might be a year!"_ She rested her flipper on his head. _"Please understand…"_

A moment of silence passed, until Shinji smirked. _"It's not like I was going to disagree with them."_

Pochama was relieved. She smiled. _"You're a good guy, Shinji. I might be warming up to you already."_

But Shinji shook his head and flicked her head with his tail.

"_What was that for? You know what; I take back what I said!"_ Pochama stormed away. Shinji's Pokémon came back, wondering why she was storming away angrily.

"_Did you decide, Shinji?"_

"_Sure,"_ Shinji answered. _"We're going to Isshu."_ His Pokémon looked at each other with relief.

Dodaitose nudged Shinji's head. _"I was worried, Shinji,"_ he whispered. _"I thought you were going to disagree and think we were abandoning you."_ It seemed he also knew why Shinji was silent. _"I'm really glad."_

"_Hn, you better stop acting like that."_ He curled up under the shade of the porch, resting his head on his forearms.

Dodaitose smiled. _"Yes, sir."_

Hikari came back, wiping her hands on a small towel. "So what do you think?" Her Pokémon cheered in agreement, while Shinji's nodded. "Looks like it's been decided then!"

"We're going to Isshu!"

~.~.~

Reiji appeared on the screen, finding the person he expected. "Hikari-Kun, that was quick!"

"Yeah, everyone decided to go to Isshu!"

"What did Kolink do?"

"I don't really know," Hikari replied, scratching her head. "But I saw him smirk or something. You know, Reiji-San, I really think Kolink took a big liking to Shinji. His 'evil' smirks are being copied by a Pokémon that followed him!" She giggled. "It's so cute!"

"So when are you planning to go?"

"Maybe next week. I'm gonna have to talk to my mom and rest a little before I go." Hikari laughed. "I mean, I just got home yesterday after all."

"That's true. Rest is important – especially if you traveled around the whole region," Reiji agreed. "What are you planning to do today?"

"Maybe I can let my Pokémon and Shinji's do a small battle."

Reiji put his finger to his chin. "Hmmm, why don't you try Kolink against Pochama?"

Hikari was surprised. "But isn't Pochama like a type disadvantage? Kolink is as strong as my Pachirisu! He already knows the move 'Discharge'!"

"Is that so?" Reiji tapped his chin. "Well, it can't hurt to try. Is Kolink's attacks accurate?"

"Before I saw Kolink, there were flashes of electricity spreading out in all directions! One of them hit me, unfortunately."

"Exactly, Hikari-Kun! Why don't you train him?" Reiji suggested. "Since Shinji isn't there, you can train Kolink."

Hikari tilted her head to the side in uncertainty. "I'm not sure, Reiji-San," she paused, "We weren't on good terms in the beginning."

"Well, you'll be able to train him somehow." Reiji gave her a thumbs-up. "I believe in you, Hikari-Kun."

"Thanks, Reiji-San. Have a nice day!"

"You, too." The call was ended.

Reiji crossed his arms, chuckling to himself. "It looks like Shinji is in quite a predicament." He shook his head smugly. "Unbelievable, Shinji… Unbelievable." He stared at the blank screen, smirking to himself. "I wonder how this is going to end…?"

~.~.~

"Kolink? Pochama?" Hikari called out. Pochama ran over to her immediately, while Shinji lifted his head from his forearms. "Let's do a battle between you two!"

Pochama flashed Shinji a smirk. _"Wanna battle?"_

"_That is such a stupid suggestion! Why would I want to battle?"_

"_Of course you don't want to battle,"_ Pochama sneered sarcastically. _"You're just afraid I'm gonna beat you in one hit!"_ She sang and danced around taunting Shinji.

Eventually, Shinji gave in to Pochama's taunting and ended up battling anyways.

_How the hell did this happen…?_ was the question that filled his mind.

"Let's check your moves first, Kolink!" Hikari opened her PokéDex, scanning Shinji. "You know Tackle, Leer, and Discharge! Alright, we're ready!" She stood at the middle of the battleground. "I'll be calling out the moves for both of you, okay? Piplup, you don't mind if you get a few hits, right?"

At that, an evil smirk appeared on Shinji's features. _"I am definitely sure this is going to be enjoyable."_ Pochama's eyes widened and she was frozen on the spot.

"I'll be the referee!" Ayako announced. She raised her hand. "And…" she brought it back down, "Let the battle begin!"

"Kolink, use Tackle!"

"_I can't believe I'm going to obey you, Troublesome Girl…!"_ He ran towards Pochama, ready to tackle her with all his might. _"You're going to be sorry for taunting me."_

"Pochama, use Peck!" But Pochama was frozen, slightly frightened by Shinji's Intimidate! "Po-Pochama?"

Shinji tackled Pochama to the ground and leapt back. _"How was that, you blue penguin?"_

"_Why, you…!"_

"Pochama, use Peck!"

She obeyed, her beak growing long. Pochama leapt at Shinji, ready to peck at his head.

"Now, jump, Kolink!"

Shinji jumped high, evading Pochama's attack.

"Then, use Discharge!"

He gathered energy and unleashed his Discharge attack. He figured out how it works. Unfortunately, he couldn't control his aim so blasts of electricity spread throughout the battlefield. Pachirisu protected Hikari by taking the attack.

"_Damn it! I still can't control the aiming!"_ But he felt satisfied when one of his stray blasts had hit Pochama. _"Hn, you are so weak…"_ He prepared for another attack.

Pochama shook off the electricity. _"I am _so_ going to kill you for that!"_

"_Hey, it was intentional but I didn't think my aim would be that bad,"_ Shinji defended.

"Pochama, use Bubblebeam to surround Kolink!"

"_Here I go!"_ Pochama shot a beam of bubbles from her beak, the bubbles surrounding Shinji.

He had no idea of what she was going to do. He felt like he's seen this before. His eyes widened when he realized their plan, but it was too late.

"Shoot a bubble at the ring, Pochama!" The penguin Pokémon obeyed and shot a bubble at the ring. Once it hit the ring, a barrage of bubbles attacked Shinji in all directions. He had no time to gather enough energy to produce Discharge nor did he have enough protection!

"_Shit…!"_ He thought bubbles would feel like nothing, but this was battling! _I underestimated that blue penguin too much_, he regrettably thought. He slowly felt himself weaken from the pain. This was completely new to him! _Why the hell did I give in to that stupid Pokémon's taunting, dammit!_

Shinji reached his limit. He collapsed on the ground, too exhausted to get up. He knew this would conclude the end of the battle. Ayako declared Pochama the winner and rushed into the house to fetch a potion.

"Kolink!" Hikari rushed to pick up Shinji. He weakly glared at her. "You did your best, Kolink." She hugged Shinji, and luckily for her, all Shinji could do was stay still in her embrace. "I'll be training you until you evolve into a great and powerful Pokémon Shinji would want you to be – just like your friends." She carefully set him on the warm grass, waiting for her mother to bring the materials to heal him.

Pochama approached Shinji. _"Hey, that was really an awesome battle, Shinji."_

"_Yeah, right…"_ he muttered weakly. He was still exhausted. _"It was probably satisfying you to see me in pain."_

"_I'm just worried, sheesh,"_ Pochama admitted. But she soon gained her self-pride. _"But you should've seen yourself, Shinji! You were so helpless in that barrage of bubbles!"_ She began to laugh, not even caring about the glares Shinji was throwing at her.

"Pochama, it's not funny!" Hikari exclaimed. "At least Kolink tried his best!" Pochama continued to laugh anyways.

Ayako stepped into the backyard again, carrying two potions and a cool, wet towel. "Hikari, I want you to relax Kolink with this and I'll handle the potions." She gave the wet towel to Hikari and sprayed the potions on Shinji's wounds. "We have to treat Pochama too, okay?"

"Of course, mom!" Hikari waited for her mom to finish treating him and covered his body with the towel. Shinji was slightly soothed by the healing potion and the cool towel. "Why don't you rest for the day, Kolink? You've done great." She placed him with his Pokémon and then went to tend to Pochama's wounds.

Shinji's Pokémon were staring with their jaws hanging open.

"_Um, wow, Shinji…"_ Dodaitose breathed out.

"_We… never thought you could battle like that…"_ Elekible added.

Shinji glanced at his electric Pokémon with a raised brow. _"Like what?"_

Elekible laughed nervously. _"Uh… Well, I've never seen you battle with such an intention before, that's all."_

"_Hn,"_ Shinji grunted.

After Pochama's treatment was finished, Hikari came over to Shinji to take off the wet towel. "I got a little deal for you, Kolink." When Shinji glanced at her, she took it as a look of interest. "Let me train you for the week I have left. In return, I'll try to do whatever I could do for you." Hikari tilted her head. "What do you say? Is it a deal?"

Shinji shrugged. Of course, he wanted to become stronger and defeat Pochama. But that would also mean he would have to listen to whatever Hikari says. He'd rather take the risk of listening to her. If he went through Hikari's rage in Kurogane City, he can go through her training. Besides, how bad can it be? Shinji nodded.

"Thanks, Kolink." Hikari petted Shinji's head. "This is your first day, so your second day of training will start tomorrow in the afternoon, okay?" Once again, Shinji shrugged. "Let's see… For today, why don't we work on your aim? Your discharge is scattered all over the place and I don't think your friends would like being hit by a stray bolt."

"_So you're gonna train me to work on my aim?"_ Shinji asked. He growled, rolling his eyes. _"Oh joy…"_

After a few more minutes of rest, Hikari and Shinji went to improve his accuracy and aiming by using a tree as a target.

~.~.~

It was dinnertime and the dining room was filled! Unfortunately, Mammoo and Dodaitose had to eat near the backyard porch because they were a bit too big.

"So how did Kolink's training go, Hikari?"

"He's improving a lot," Hikari replied. She looked at Shinji, who was talking to Dodaitose. "I just might be able to get him to fully control his aim before the week I have ends."

"Oh, so you're planning to leave when the week is over?"

"Yup." Hikari took another spoonful of rice.

"Have you decided on which Pokémon you're going to take?"

"Of course!" Hikari exclaimed. "I have to take Shinji's Pokémon, and I'm going to take mine!

Ayako bit her lower lip. "Hikari, I'm afraid you can't take all _your_ Pokémon."

"Hm? Why n-?"

"Listen," Ayako interrupted. "You're going to a new region where there will be new Pokémon. What if you want to catch one and train it but you have the maximum number of Pokémon with you?"

Hikari sighed. "I… I guess you're right." She looked up at her mother. "Then, how much Pokémon do you think I should bring with me to Isshu?"

Ayako tapped her chin. "You should bring two."

"T-two?" Hikari looked her Pokémon, who were happily eating their Pokémon Food. _I'm definitely taking Pochama, but what about the last one? My Pokémon and I've been through a lot…_ Then, a thought appeared. _Hinoarashi's been with me the shortest and she was born from an egg. Maybe I should take her. But then again, Togekiss loves to perform in contests._ "It's going to be hard to tell my other Pokémon, but I think they'll be able to manage."

"You decided already?"

"Sort of. I can't decide between Hinoarashi and Togekiss. They both have points that are important to them." Hikari sank in her seat. "Hinoarashi is still a child and needs more maturing to do, but Togekiss loves to perform in contests. Not only that, Princess Salvia wanted me to have Togekiss to perform in contests!"

"Hmmm…" Ayako thought for a moment. "From the things you tell me, I think you should take Togekiss. I could take care of your Hinoarashi, so there's nothing to worry about, right?"

"I guess so." Hikari looked back, smiling at how her Pokémon were now playing with each other. "I'll go tell them right now." She got up from her seat, approaching her Pokémon. "Um, guys, I need to talk to you." She pointed to Shinji's Pokémon. "Do you mind if I can talk to my Pokémon outside for a few minutes?" They shook their heads. "Thanks."

"_What do you think Hikari-Chan wants to talk to us about?"_ Mimirol asked.

"_Who knows? Maybe she's gonna give us poffins!"_ Pachirisu sang.

"_Oh Arceus, Pachirisu… Poffins are the only things you think about, aren't they?"_ Pochama muttered to herself.

"_Hikari-Chan's poffins are delicious!"_ Hinoarashi randomly exclaimed.

As Hikari sat on the porch, she looked at her Pokémon. "Well, I know we're going to Isshu next week, but I can only take two of you." Her Pokémon looked at each other worriedly. "I decided to take Pochama and Togekiss."

Everyone looked at Hikari sadly. It's not like they were sad that she didn't choose them. They were sad because she'd be leaving them soon.

"I'm sorry, everyone. But I'll always be thinking of you, okay?" Her smile brightened the others and they smiled back. "Thanks for understanding." They went back into the house. "Mom, I'm gonna go take a bath!"

"Okay!"

Shinji looked at the clock. _8:30 PM_, he thought. _I'll do it when she's asleep…_ He stared at the tree where there were slight burn marks. Hikari had drawn a target in the middle, but he just couldn't hit there with his Discharge!

Today was surely a frustrating day for him.

~.~.~

It was night and Hikari had fallen asleep. Mammoo was asleep in his PokéBall, while the others slept with Hikari on her bed. Shinji's Pokémon decided to sleep in the living room. Not wanting to cause any trouble, Ringuma went back into his PokéBall.

Shinji got up, staring at the backyard. The door was shut tight, but it wasn't locked. He walked up to the door, slightly opening it enough to let his body slip through.

He stared at the tree trunk.

Dodaitose had woken up to the sound of a door sliding open. He found Shinji outside in front of the tree. _Shinji…_

Shinji stretched. His PokéDex mentioned that Kolink can generate electricity by extending and contracting its muscles. He felt energy being charged up in his body. _"I can't believe that I'm going to go through with this…"_ He focused his mind on the center of the target and charged his body to prepare a Discharge attack.

He released Discharge, intently focusing on the target's center point. Again, bolts of electricity scattered all over the place. He noticed some change in it, though. Most of the bolts did stray off, but they were slightly bending to the direction of the tree. _Let's try this again…_

Shinji continued to practice his aiming for two hours straight! It was already past midnight, for Arceus' sake!

Dodaitose watched him with surprise. He never thought Shinji would do this just because of one theory he thought of.

_**Flashback…**_

_It was dinnertime and everyone was eating the Pokémon Food Ayako made._

"_Dodaitose, I just thought of something,"_

"_What are you talking about, Shinji?"_

"_I thought of something that can make me turn normal."_

_Dodaitose blinked, curious. "This doesn't involve anything related to you getting hurt, right?"_

_Shinji was silent for a brief second. "I've tried," he muttered, "Anyways, if I evolve into a Rentorar and as time passes, I might be able to return to my human self." _

"_That sounds like a good theory, Shinji, but how do you know it'll work?"_

"_When Troublesome Girl was trying to improve my accuracy, I felt something strange in my body as my aiming slightly improved." Shinji touched his abdomen with his paw. "The feeling was really strange. My body was tingling, and then I felt lighter."_

"_That is very strange, indeed," Dodaitose agreed. "Well, I'd go with that theory, but don't rely too much on it."_

"_I know," Shinji replied. "But it's the only plan I've got."_

"_Shi-Shinji, I think you had enough for tonight…"_ Dodaitose whispered out. _"I don't want to see you strain yourself."_

Shinji glanced at Dodaitose, hesitating. He glared at the tree, where more burn marks has been formed, but the center hasn't been hit yet.

"_Fine."_ He went back inside to sleep.

Meanwhile, something was watching from the bedroom window upstairs. It was Pochama, who woke up to the sound of electricity. Apparently, she had a nightmare about being hit by Shinji's stray bolts and jumped awake from the sound.

"_Do your best, Shinji!"_ she silently cheered on. It was surprising for a Pokémon like her to cheer for someone as harsh as Shinji, but she felt a bit bad for him. Shinji couldn't fight his way to his goal. He had to be patient and wait until the time comes for him to become normal. She went back to sleep beside Hikari, snuggling in the blankets.

~.~.~

_A/N: Okays! I'm done with chapter 4, and now I have to figure out a plot for the next chapter. I have to work on my Bleach fics now. ^^" I haven't updated them for a month. I'm gonna be skipping a day or so in the next chapter, because… seriously, who would want to read a daily log of each of Shinji's day? He'd kill me if I wrote a chapter for each of his tortured days. xD_

_Shinji: HanaKai…_

_Me: O.O *runs for my life*_

_By the way, check out my new IkariShipping story! It's called __**Ribbon of Royalty**__! Read it! :D_


	5. Shinji's Training Session, Day 3

_A/N: Sorry if you had to wait! I was focusing on my IkariShipping doujinshi.^^"_

_Note: Kouhei/Conway, Pikari/Dee-Dee, Kengo/Kenny, Nozomi/Zoey, Yosuga City/Hearthome City, Jun/Barry_

**Mystique****  
CH ****5****:**** Shinji's Training Session, Day 3 **

"Good morning, mom!"

"Good morning, Hikari! Everyone, it's time for breakfast!" Ayako set different plates of Pokémon Food for each Pokémon. Everyone gathered around the kitchen, while the larger Pokémon – Mammoo and Dodaitose – settled outside to eat on the porch. "So are you going to train Kolink again, Hikari?"

"Yup! He's making fast progress!" Hikari complimented. "I mean, from the first day, Kolink's aim was completely off!"

Shinji glared at Hikari. _"Will you shut up about that?"_

"But now, he's slowly directing his Discharge towards the target!" She giggled. "But he just can't hit the center yet…" She took a bite of her scrambled eggs. "Mm! I love your scrambled eggs, mom!"

"Why, thank you, Hikari." Ayako glanced at Shinji, smiling. "Do you think you'll be able to get him evolve by the end of this week?"

"With this fast progress, I'm sure of it!" Hikari smiled confidently. "Oh yeah, mom, is it okay for me to visit the pier after breakfast?"

"Oh? What for?"

"I want to check the ticket prices and departing schedules for Isshu."

"Are you going take any of your Pokémon?"

"I think I'll take Pochama and Kolink. Kolink is a wild Pokémon, so he probably never saw the pier before." Hikari grinned. "I'll show him around!"

"What about his training session?"

Hikari waved the question dismissively. "Come on, mom, I'll have plenty of time to train him in the afternoon." She took a sip of her milk and went back to finishing her breakfast. Shinji had finished his, and sat near Dodaitose. "Besides, I think he might be able to fully aim by the fifth day or so!"

Ayako looked surprised. "Oh, Kolink is progressing that rapidly? How nice! He is _very_ determined too!" She stared at Shinji and winked. He saw her and averted his gaze somewhere else.

~.~.~

_**Flashback…**_

_Shinji was practicing his aim overnight again with Dodaitose watching him. He managed to fully direct his Discharge towards the target, but he couldn't hit the center yet!_

_He panted, slightly exhausted from using so much energy. "One more time…"_

"_Shi-Shinji…" Dodaitose called out. "Come on, Shinji, are you going to train until you lose all your energy?" He sighed when Shinji attempted to hit the target again. _You're training yourself just how you trained us, _he thought. Dodaitose was getting worried. Shinji was looking more and more exhausted as time passed by._

"_Oh, hello!" Ayako called. "So it was you training?" She approached Kolink and greeted Dodaitose. He, of course, greeted her back._

_Shinji bowed his head. "I apologize if I woke you."_

"_Why don't you try focusing on your direction for now? If you keep focusing on hitting the center, you'll only become frustrated and make the training harder," Ayako suggested. "I'll give you a little riddle: Scattering Discharge is relaxing, but aimed Discharge is powerful and energetic. I'm sure you'll be able to figure it out." She petted his head and smiled. "You should rest for tonight. You used a lot of energy, didn't you?"_

_Shinji didn't want to admit it, but the fact that his legs wanted to give way was enough evidence. He sat on the backyard porch, staring at the moon._

"_I talked to your brother, you know…"_

_That got Dodaitose and Shinji panicking. They turned to her, shocked. Ayako giggled._

"_Yes, it's a bit shocking that I find out your identity, _Shinji-Kun_," Ayako petted his head again. "I may be a coordinator, but that doesn't mean I don't know the difference between certain Pokémon." She sat beside Shinji, while Dodaitose was glancing from Ayako to Shinji. "I didn't really like the idea that my daughter was unknowingly with a boy she talked about before, but from what Reiji-Kun told me, you're a very good kid, aren't you?"_

"… _Not really…" Shinji muttered._

"_Please take care of my Hikari when you get to Isshu, Shinji-Kun. I don't know what I'll do if she's not going to be around you." Ayako pecked the top of Shinji's head, making him wince and slightly blush. She also kissed Dodaitose a good night. "Good luck, Shinji-Kun, and Good night." She went back in the house._

_Shinji smacked himself on the forehead. "Oh my Arceus, now _she_ knows? How many more is going to find out…?"_

"_I think there's only Hikari-Chan left. And once Hikari-Chan finds out, her Pokémon finds out. That's all there is to it."_

"_You make it sound like she's going to find out in a long time…" he murmured under his breath._

_**End of Flashback…**_

~.~.~

"Thanks for the food!" Hikari went back upstairs to prepare.

"Hikari, I prepared a casual wear for you, so why don't you wear it for today?"

"You mean the shirt and pants?" Hikari asked from her room.

"Yes!"

The fact that Hikari was going to wear a shirt and pants piqued Shinji's interest. She was always wearing that pink and black dress of hers. He rolled his eyes when he heard Hikari come downstairs.

Hikari was wearing a shirt with very short sleeves and wore slightly baggy jeans. Hikari's hair was free of hairclips, so it was freely flowing. "Wow, where did you find this, mom?"

"I made it for you. Do you like it?"

"Do I like it? I love it!" Hikari exclaimed. "Thanks, mom!" She gave her mother a hug and faced Pochama and Shinji. "What do you think? Do I look good?" Pochama agreed, but Shinji shrugged. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go to the pier!" She put on her backpack and carried both Pokémon in her arms.

Shinji decided to settle on her head, since he didn't want to be "squeezed" with Pochama in her arms.

~.~.~

"We're here!" The three arrived to a dock where many ships were resting in the water. "I wonder where you buy the tickets and get the schedules…?"

"_Troublesome Girl…_" Shinji nudged Hikari's head with his tail and pointed to a building ahead.

"Oh! Thanks, Kolink!" Hikari petted his head. She looked up at the large cruise ships lined up. "Wow, they all lead to different regions: Kantou, Jouto, Houen, and-!"

"Hikari-San?" a familiar voice called out.

Hikari froze, her arms tightening around Pochama. Shinji raised a brow at her. He turned his head to find a green-haired boy with glasses. _He looks… familiar… Where did I see him again?_ Hikari turned around slowly.

"K… Kouhei?"

Kouhei adjusted his glasses. "Oh! It is you! I was wondering why I heard your voice nearby."

Shinji's brow twitched. _This guy is strangely getting on my nerves…_ he thought.

"What are you doing here, Kouhei?"

"I'm going to leave Shinou today," the boy replied. "I'm heading to Kantou to compete in the Kantou League." He smiled. "Do you want to come with us? We can make a great team!"

"Us? What do you mean u-?"

"Pikari!"

"Hikari! Hey, nice outfit!"

Hikari froze again, her eyes moving to her childhood friend and rivals: Kengo and Nozomi! "Uh, Kengo? Nozomi? What are you doing here?"

"We were looking for our ship," Nozomi explained. "Until Kouhei here heard you and ran over to you."

"O-oh, I see… So you three are going to Kantou as a team?"

"Yup!" Kengo grinned, but it faded into a suspicious frown. "Did Kouhei ask you to join us?" He saw Hikari twitch. "… I thought so. He's been talking about you about that tag battle at Yosuga City." His eyes slyly moved to a panicking Kouhei. Kengo sighed.

Shinji remembered the tag battle when that guy was Hikari's partner. _"Oh… So it's that guy…"_ He stared at Kouhei from the corner of his eyes. _"It's that guy who was her partner…"_

"Well, we're gonna be here until one PM, so we'll have plenty of time to chat!" Nozomi suggested. She noticed the Kolink on Hikari's head. "Hikari, when did you catch a Kolink?"

"Huh? Oh, him?" Hikari pointed to Kolink. "He's not mine. He's Shinji's Kolink." She giggled nervously. "His Pokémon came to us without him, and I have to take care of his Pokémon."

"Wait, you mean that cold-hearted, purple-haired jerk that I tried to threaten before?"

Hikari slightly cowered from that description. Shinji stared at Nozomi with deadpan eyes.

"H-he's not cold-hearted, Nozomi… But yes, that is Shinji."

"Why did his Pokémon come back without him?"

Hikari's head lowered. "I don't know… That's what I'm worried about deep inside." She sighed. "But I'll be trying to find Shinji. I don't think he went to the Battle Frontier yet, and I just have an odd feeling that he's going somewhere else."

"Well, I hope you find him, Hikari," Kengo encouraged.

Nozomi tapped on Kengo's shoulder. "Kengo, remember we still have to shop for a little bit. Our current supply amount would probably last for a day only!"

"Okay, but what about Kouhei?"

"He told me he already got everything prepared, so he can stay here." With that, Nozomi and Kengo walked away to find the department store, leaving only Hikari and Kouhei.

Pochama was screaming her head off, because Hikari was squeezing her too tight. _"Hikari-Chan! I can't breathe!"_

"Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry, Pochama!" Hikari let down Pochama to let her catch some air. Shinji smacked his forehead, groaning. Kouhei tapped Hikari's shoulder. If he came any closer to Shinji, he would've bit Kouhei. "Uh, what is it, Kouhei?"

"So what do you say? Do you want to join me and them as a four-people team?"

Shinji's brow twitched again, but it looked more noticeable.

Hikari took a step back. "Um… I'm not sure if I want to go to Kantou."

Kouhei tilted his head in curiosity. "Oh? Where are you planning to go?"

"_Back off, you creep!"_ Pochama shouted. Shinji felt another shudder from Hikari.

"_This guy is getting on my nerves…"_ he growled.

She took another step back. "T-that's why. I'm not sure of where to go yet."

"Oh come on, Hikari-San, you should come with us to Kantou!"

"_She said she DOESN'T want to go!"_ Shinji exclaimed. Without thought, he released his Discharge on Kouhei! What surprised him was not his instinct to shout at him and use Discharge, but how his aim was _perfect_! The electricity did not scatter, but formed into one beam and was shot at Kouhei! _"… Did I just do that?"_

The green-haired boy was hit by Discharge. He was now sprawled on the ground, smoke surrounding him.

"… Wow…" Hikari stuttered. "Kolink, I can't believe it! Your aim was completely accurate!"

"_Even I can't believe what just happened…"_ Pochama and Shinji added.

"Anyways, are you okay, Kouhei?" There was no reply. "Kouhei?"

"Well, it looks like Kolink doesn't want you to," Kouhei coughed, holding up a shaky thumbs-up. "I-I'll be okay, Hikari-San."

Hikari acknowledged that reassurance and continued her way. "Then, bye!" She walked away as fast as she could. Once they were in the ticket building, she sighed in relief. "Thanks, Kolink. You really saved me there."

"… _I know. I don't why I decided to save you."_

"Anyways, let's check the schedule for next week!" She approached a counter for schedules. She whispered, "Um, hi, do you have the departing schedules and ticket prices for next week for Isshu?"

"Of course!" The receptionist typed in something in the computer. "When do you plan to go?"

"Err, I'm planning to go to Isshu around Tuesday or Wednesday."

"I'll print out the schedules for you, ma'am." After a few seconds, the receptionist handed Hikari a piece of paper. "Is that all?"

"Oh yes! Thank you!" Hikari's eyes darted back and forth. "Um, if anyone asks about what I asked you, can you keep it confidential?"

"Yes, ma'am," she replied.

"Thank you again!" Hikari folded the paper and stuffed it in her pocket. "I'll check it out at home later. So, is there anything you two want to see around here?"

Shinji had a bad feeling about the _person_ behind him. He turned his head enough to get a glimpse of Kouhei pouting at him. _"Oh great…"_ He sighed, shaking his head. _"I think we should get out of here quickly before that guy recovers and follows her."_

"_Do you mean Kouhei, Shinji?"_

"_Whatever his name is…"_

"_Yeah, I recommend that too."_ Pochama tugged on Hikari's sleeve and pointed to a sign. _"Let's go to Futaba Park, Hikari-Chan! Hurry!"_

"Um… Okay, then!" Hikari ran over to Futaba Park since Pochama kept insisting to hurry. They arrived to Futaba Park and at the center was a large water fountain. She set Shinji and Pochama on the ground, breathing in the fresh air. "So what do you want to do here?"

"_I just want to relax…"_ Pochama breathed. _"I'm having enough trouble trying to tell you how weird Kouhei is."_

"_Are you talking to me or her?"_

"_Hikari-Chan. Obviously, I don't need to tell you. I can tell you were getting the same thoughts when you shocked the guy."_

"_Why _did_ I shock him?"_

"_Did he get on your nerves?"_

"_Strangely, yes."_

"_Exactly…"_ Pochama gave him a sharp nod. _"I just HATE it when that creep flirts with Hikari-Chan! He makes the atmosphere feel so weird!"_

Shinji rolled his eyes, resting on the edge of the water fountain. _"I figured that…"_ He closed his eyes for a moment, listening to the fountain spouting water. It was soothing and relaxing.

"Hey! How about a little battle?"

"… _And just when I was enjoying this quiet moment…"_ he murmured.

"_Oh, stop being such a downer! C'mon, let's have a battle!"_ Pochama encouraged. _"I think it would be a great way to forget what happened at the dock, really…"_ she murmured, scratching the back of her head. _"Are you scared that-?"_

"_If you're going to taunt me again, it won't work, but I'll battle you."_ Shinji lifted his head and hopped off the edge. He sighed, murmuring, _"It might be the only to get me back to normal anyways."_ He thought about his theory of evolving back into a human again. _"Let's start."_

"Alright, then! Get to your positions, you two!" Shinji walked a few feet away from Pochama, waiting for Hikari to… command… him. "Okay! Pochama, surround Kolink with Bubblebeam!" Pochama obeyed Hikari and a barrier of bubbles surrounded Shinji. He knew what was coming next. "One more Bubblebeam!"

But before Pochama shot a bubble, Shinji smirked. He used Discharge and the electricity burst all the bubbles. He dodged the oncoming beam of bubbles with rapid speed.

"Awesome, Kolink! I knew you could figure something out!" Hikari praised. "Alright! Kolink, use Discharge!" Shinji did so, and focused hard to aim only at Pochama. Unfortunately, they were scattering towards the same direction! A stray bolt had hit Hikari and her hair was in a mess! "Oh no! My hair!" She brought out a comb from her back pocket and started combing her hair back into place. "Kolink, I don't know how your aim was so perfect back there! Why now?"

"…" Shinji and Pochama watched her in silence.

"_You want to battle without her commands?"_ Shinji suggested.

"_We can try. But I'm not gonna hold back, got it?"_ Pochama smirked, pounding her chest with her flipper. The two went back to their original position and prepared to battle. Pochama's beak started to glow as she gathered energy. Then, her beak grew longer and she lunged at him.

Shinji dodged her peck attack and continued to dodge as she kept lunging at him with her long beak. He managed to dodge one that barely touched his nose. He felt the energy emitting from the attack. _Oh shit._

Pochama landed on her feet, her beak returning to normal. _"Nice job dodging, Shinji."_ Fortunately, she noticed that Shinji released his Discharge attack. There were many bolts waiting to attack her. She prepared to dodge, but he did something unexpected. He lunged at Pochama with his Discharge surrounding him.

Shinji tackled Pochama with all his might with the electricity surrounding him. Pochama took the hit and tumbled backwards.

Hikari, who had combed her hair in place, was watching the battle. She smiled at how Shinji was able to combine his attacks. She continued to watch as Pochama and Shinji battled with each other.

~.~.~

Unfortunately, the victory went to Pochama. Apparently, she released her Whirlpool attack and nearly drowned Shinji. He was coughing to get some air.

"_Oh my gosh, Shinji! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to drown you!"_

"_Sure you did…"_ Shinji coughed.

"_I mean it, Shinji! I REALLY didn't mean to-!"_

"_I get it, I get it!"_ Shinji hissed. He shook the water off his fur, accidentally splashing Hikari. _"…"_

"Oh Kolink…" Hikari shook her head. "This battle just made half your day of training. I'm proud of you two." She pulled Shinji and Pochama into a hug. "You guys were doing so well! I think that earned you two a Poffin!"

Pochama's eyes gleamed with excitement and joy. _"Yay, I get a Poffin!"_

Shinji blinked in confusion. _"… What's a Poffin?"_ Now, he found a shocked Pochama who nearly fainted from the question. _"What?"_

"_You don't know what a POFFIN is?"_ Pochama asked. _"It's like the most delicious treat in the whole world!"_ She frantically waved her flippers to emphasize the delicacy. _"Wait, you never made or tried one before?"_

"_No, why would I make or try one? Won't it kill me?"_

Pochama stared at him with deadpan eyes. _"Do you think ALL Pokémon Food will kill you? Pokémon eat berries, too…"_

"_There's no point in arguing with you,"_ he hissed.

"_Whatever."_ Pochama shrugged, smirking. _"Insult me all you want, but it's not gonna make me explode because I'm once again satisfied with my victory over you!"_ She laughed haughtily, pointing at Shinji mockingly. She soon regained her composure. _"But, seriously, you NEED to try a Poffin _TODAY!_"_

"_Why? It's only a treat, isn't it?"_ Shinji rolled his eyes. _"You'd only be spoiling yourself by eating those."_ He looked the other way, wanting to escape Hikari's embrace. It made him struggle or want to shock her. If he did that, he'd receive a lecture and/or ranting from her. That was the last thing he wanted to make his life worse.

"_We are NOT spoiling ourselves! It's Hikari-Chan's way to reward us after our hard work!"_

Shinji smirked. _"You make her sound like a sadist."_

"_SHINJI!"_

"_Hn…"_ He checked the clock tower nearby. _It's almost one… which means those three will be leaving,_ he thought, _and that creep might stay away from us._ After realizing what his thoughts, he shook his head to clear his mind. "_I think there's a drug in my Pokémon Food…"_ he muttered under his breath.

"_Did you say something?"_

Shinji was silent, ignoring Pochama.

"Well, I think we should see Nozomi, Kengo, and Kouhei off." Hikari placed Shinji on her shoulder and carried Pochama in her arms. "Let's go back to the docks!" With that, she went back. When she arrived, the three already boarded the ship. "Nozomi! Kengo! Kouhei!"

Nozomi turned her head to the voice. "Ah, it's Hikari!"

The other two simultaneously turned their heads to Hikari.

"Hikari!"

"Hikari-San!"

Hikari smiled, carrying Pochama in one arm. She waved to her friends. "I hope we meet each other again someday!"

They waved back.

"Bye, Hikari! Make sure to watch me in Kantou contests!" Nozomi reminded, waving.

"Me too, Hikari!" Kengo added. He waved back. "Bye!"

"Good bye, Hikari-San! Please do your best in other contests!" Kouhei smiled genuinely. For the first time, Hikari saw a soft (and non-creepy) side of the boy.

Hikari saw them off until they were out of sight. She lowered her arm. "More and more friends are going away… aren't they?" She sighed, tilting her head. "I wonder if Jun is going to go to another region too." Hikari shrugged to herself. "Oh well, let's go back home, you two. We still have to train you, Kolink!" She poked Shinji's nose with her finger, winking.

Shinji's brow twitched. Oh how he wanted to bite that finger _so much_.

~.~.~

Well, today's training was a bit easier than the first two days. Shinji had decided to focus on the direction of his Discharge for now. He admitted that his first goal was too difficult for him.

It was night and Shinji was out practicing again. Dodaitose watched him and helped him up at times.

"_So do you feel any different, Shinji?"_

"_A bit…"_ Shinji murmured. _"I can't say I don't feel like I'm going to evolve though."_ He took a minute of rest. _"Dodaitose, how did you feel when you evolved?"_

Dodaitose hung his head for a moment. _"Well, it's a bit hard to describe. When I felt like I was evolving, I felt a strange energy surge in me… or something like that. I can't really say it felt bad though."_ He shrugged. _"But don't push yourself, Shinji. I don't think it'll help if you keep pushing towards your goal like this…"_

"_What do you mean?"_

"_I'm not trying to say your theory is wrong, but I'm afraid something bad might happen if you stress yourself like this."_ Dodaitose sat beside the tree Shinji was aiming at. _"In the worst case scenario, you might even betray us."_

"_What?"_

"_I'm just speaking my mind. It's only my opinion of what might happen."_ Dodaitose sighed. _"I'm just worried, Shinji. I don't want to see you frustrated and stressed if you keep pushing towards that theory."_ He paused. _"Try taking a break once in a while. Enjoy the fresh air, play with Hikari-San's Pokémon, look around, or even take a nap."_

"_So what are you trying to say?"_

"_Don't stress over a goal to become human again,"_ he stated. _"I don't mean to act like Reiji-San, but you really should take a break. Try observing what you do as you aim Discharge at the tree. Try playing or do something with us and the others. Try to have fun, Shinji." _

Shinji blinked. _"Are they adding some kind of drug in your Pokémon Food or were you always like this?"_

Dodaitose chuckled. _"I was always like this. You probably never noticed it before."_

"_You know what I need to observe? It's you guys I have to keep an eye on…"_

"_Maybe so, Shinji, maybe so."_ Dodaitose nodded his head, smiling. _"So do you want to try Discharge one more time?"_

"_Hn, sure."_

With that, Shinji practiced again. But this time, he followed Dodaitose's advice.

Who knows? Shinji just might discover something new within him.

~.~.~

_A/N: Again, sorry for the late update, everyone! And since I'm going back to school, my updates may be later than usual, and I mean MUCH later than usual. ^^"_

_I just realized that Pochama is actually a male… T^T Oh well, I prefer Pochama to be a female though. ^^" I hope you don't mind!_


	6. GoodBye Kolink, Hello Luxio

_A/N: =] Hell yes! This is the chapter you've all been waiting for! Don't know what I'm talking about? Read and find out! The title might give it away though… _

_I apologize for the delay. ^^" I have started my freshman year, and I've already gotten a TON of homework… Anyways, please keep in mind that I just ADORE this story and would LOVE to update faster, but I DO have a school life. I'll do my best to update ASAP. _

_Note: Yosuga Collection/Hearthome Collection_

**Mystique****  
CH ****6****:**** Good-Bye Kolink, Hello Luxio**

It was the fifth day of the week.

Shinji heard the Mukkuru chirp outside and woke up. He looked at the clock above him. It was six o' clock. _Hn, time to get up._ Shinji stood up, walking towards the backyard. Unfortunately he was half asleep and forgot about the transparency, so he accidentally smacked himself against the glass door. _"… Damn transparency…"_ he murmured. He nosed his way out and breathed in the cool morning air.

"_Should I train right now or not…"_ Shinji slightly turned his head to his side. _"… Dodaitose?"_

"_Just do whatever you want to do this time, Shinji. You did great last night, anyways."_ Dodaitose smiled at the slight determination that suddenly sparked in Shinji's eyes. _"I have good feeling about today, though."_

"_Who knows…? It wouldn't last forever though…"_ He noticed Dodaitose raising a brow. _"I'm pretty sure Troublesome is going to start spoiling you guys again – just like yesterday."_

~.~.~

_**Flashback…**_

"That Leaf Storm was _great_, Dodaitose!" Hikari gushed. She ran over to Shinji's Pokémon, embracing him by the neck. She giggled when she felt Dodaitose accept her embrace.

"How about a Poffin?" Hikari took out a handkerchief full of Poffins and started picking out of it. "Ah! Here it is!" She held it in front of Dodaitose's jaws. "I cooked them this morning, and this one is specifically made for you!" Hikari stuck her tongue out playfully. "Try it, Dodaitose!"

Dodaitose sniffed it and a wonderful scent filled his senses. He took it and chewed. It was delicious, a sweet and slightly dry taste dancing on his tongue! He responded delightfully.

"I'm so relieved!" she exclaimed. "I thought I made it wrongly!" Hikari patted his shell. "You're an awesome Pokémon, Dodaitose! I don't get why Shinji wouldn't praise you though…"

Shinji was, fortunately, secretly resting on the tree on Dodaitose's shell, hidden from Hikari's sight. He lifted his head, rolling his eyes. _"… Tch."_ He chewed on a nut on Dodaitose's tree, which tasted quite good.

"I wonder where Kolink went. I was planning to groom him, but he's not here." Hikari walked away to find Shinji.

"_I feel so very relieved I'm here…"_ he murmured.

_**End of Flashback…**_

~.~.~

Dodaitose chuckled. _"It was a bit amusing to see Hikari-Chan look for you."_ He shook his head smugly when Shinji temporarily stopped his training to glare at him. _"Anyways, that's not the 'good feeling' I had in mind."_

"_Then, what do you mean?"_

"_What I meant was that I have a good feeling that you might evolve today."_

Shinji slightly raised his brows. _"Really…?"_ As much as he wanted to smirk to himself, he was too caught up with the possibility that he might evolve today. He was only a few steps closer to becoming normal. _"Hn."_

"Good morning, Shinji-Kun, Dodaitose," a quiet voice greeted.

The two turned their heads to Ayako, who had a small blanket wrapped around her shoulders. She was holding a mug filled with warm coffee. "How was your training with Hikari so far?"

"… _Horrible. It was torturing."_ Shinji rolled his eyes to add to his remark.

"Yes, I know it's very likely that you'll find her method of training difficult," Ayako paused, "but it looks like it has gotten you very far in a short amount of time." She took a sip of her coffee. "And if you evolve into a Luxio before Hikari wakes up, you should hide and give her a little surprise!"

Not wanting to be rude, he only shrugged. He sat next to the tree he practiced on. The shade felt good against the morning sun's warmth. Dodaitose was soaking in the sunlight through his tree.

"Well, I should go make breakfast. It's almost time for Hikari to wake up." Ayako left the porch and headed to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. Her head suddenly poked out of a small window from the kitchen. "Oh, and Shinji-Kun, if you run out of energy, I left a bowl of Oran Berries on the porch." She disappeared again and a shuffling of pans was heard afterwards.

"_She's a very good parent,"_ Dodaitose murmured to himself.

"_Dodaitose,"_ Shinji called. _"I want to battle you."_

The gentle-natured Pokémon blinked at his master, processed the words, and then slightly gaped. _"You… want to battle me?"_

"_Yes."_ Shinji gave him a firm nod.

"_Um… Are you sure?"_

"_I'm sure,"_ Shinji growled.

Dodaitose hesitated for a brief moment before accepting. _"Okay."_ They prepared to battle. _"Err… You sure about this?" _Shinji glared. _"Okay, okay."_

Shinji planted his hind paws in the ground to lunge at Dodaitose. Electricity engulfed his body as he lunged at the continent Pokémon. He tackled him, but it did no damage. Shinji leapt back, prepared to take any retaliation. Dodaitose stomped his front two legs into the ground. The ground suddenly started shaking. _Shit, he's going to use Frenzy Plant!_

As if on cue, large roots of spikes emerged from the ground, heading towards Shinji. His eyes darted back and forth to see any escape routes. He quickly dodged the roots while he had the chance. He leered at Dodaitose straight in the eye. Dodaitose was slightly frozen. Shinji saw this as a chance to use his Discharge. Unfortunately, a root knocked him down – hard – from behind.

"_Gah!"_ The attack sent Shinji crashing into the ground. It nearly knocked the breath out of him.

"_Sh-Shinji!"_ Dodaitose was about to rush over until he saw Shinji trying to stand back up. _"Are you okay?"_

Shinji answered with a strong and perfectly-aimed Discharge. _"There's my reply."_ His legs were shaking, but he wasn't going to give up yet.

Dodaitose shook off the electricity, feeling slightly dizzy. _It looks like the time is near, Shinji,_ he thought. _Let's see if you can evolve before Hikari-Chan wakes up._ He gathered energy around himself, and two rings of small rocks circled around his body. _"If you really want me to continue, Shinji, I'll shoot now."_

"_Give me your best shot."_

"_Okay then."_ Dodaitose's eyes started to glow a bright green hue and he fired the rocks at Shinji. Knowing that Shinji was an electric type, a rock-type move would probably knock him out.

Shinji's eyes scanned the oncoming stones and dodged the first few, took two hits, and his legs finally gave way. _"I am NOT giving up!"_ he growled as he released a very powerful Discharge. It became a beam of electricity that aimed at Dodaitose. Unfortunately, his large body prevented him from dodging so he took the hit.

"_W-wow, Shinji…"_ Dodaitose was slightly paralyzed, barely able to move. _"T-that was a very powerful Discharge!"_

Suddenly, a white light enveloped Shinji. _"Huh?"_ His body began to grow bigger and slender with a firm build, and his mane, legs, and tail grew longer. _"This is…"_

"_You're evolving, Shinji!"_ Dodaitose exclaimed. _"… into a Luxio!"_

The white light disappeared and Shinji, who was a Kolink, became a Luxio. The mane around his frame had much more purple streaks than before, his tail was longer, and there were two yellow rings on his front legs.

"_This… Is this how it feels to evolve?"_

Dodaitose nodded, smiling. _"Yes. It feels very refreshing and powerful, doesn't it?"_ He observed the newly-evolved Shinji. _"Well, the purple streaks and your onyx eyes are the only features that discriminate you from other Luxio."_

"_I feel so powerful…"_ Shinji felt an urge to try hitting the target with his Discharge one last time. He faced the tree, focusing on the target. He charged himself with energy and released a straight beam of electricity at the target! The target broke into pieces and fell to Shinji's feet. As for the tree, its trunks were covered in burn marks. Shinji smirked, satisfied with his new power. _"Hn."_

"_You sure are going to surprise Hikari-Chan…"_ Dodaitose murmured. _"You used a lot of energy, Shinji. Why don't you eat some of the Oran Berries?"_

"_I know."_ Shinji hopped onto the back porch, taking an Oran Berry in his mouth. He lied down on the floor, taking a bite out of the berry. _"I can only expect her to start squealing and squeeze me to death."_ He slightly shuddered at the thought.

Dodaitose chuckled nervously. _"You can never know, Shinji. Hikari-Chan can be a bit unpredictable."_

Shinji rolled his eyes. He had two more Oran Berries before standing up. _"Do you have anything planned today, Dodaitose?"_

"_No. Do you have something in mind, Shinji?"_

Shinji shrugged. _"Not really."_ He sighed, looking back at the leftover Oran Berries in the bowl. He nudged the bowl over to Dodaitose with his paw. _"Eat it. You did use a lot of energy after all."_

"_Thanks, Shinji. But I think you need it more… You did get injured a lot in our battle."_ Dodaitose nudged the bowl back over to Shinji. _"I'll be fine after I eat breakfast. You are going to need the Oran Berries because I am definitely sure that you're on the verge of fainting."_ He smiled. _"Even if you _did_ evolve into a Luxio, you still have some damage from before."_

"_Then, take one."_

Dodaitose chuckled. _"Okay."_ He took an Oran Berry in his jaw and ate it. After a swallow, he felt a little more energized. _"Thanks, Shinji."_ He noticed Hikari coming down the stairs. _"I think you should hide now. Hikari-Chan's here."_

"_Whatever."_ Shinji glanced at the bowl of Oran Berries and took one in his mouth. Then, he hid behind a nearby tree. Dodaitose swore he saw a small smirk coming from his master.

_What are you planning?_ Dodaitose smugly sighed, chuckling to himself.

"Good morning, mom!" Hikari came down wearing another short-sleeved shirt and jeans.

"Good morning, Hikari! Did you sleep well?"

"Yep! But it's so strange! I woke up when I felt the house shaking!" Hikari exclaimed. "Was there an earthquake?"

"No, there were no earthquakes. You must've felt Shinji-Kun's Dodaitose using his Frenzy Plant move." Ayako smiled reassuringly as she set a plate of rice, a bowl of miso soup, and a few side dishes. "Eat up! You might want to prepare for Isshu."

"But, I have to train Kolink, don't I?" Suddenly, a thought struck her. "Wait… Dodaitose used Frenzy Plant… That _is_ what you said, right?" When Ayako nodded, Hikari's eyes widened. "Did… Did Kolink and Dodaitose battle?" Her mother was about to answer, but Hikari stopped her. She tried to finish her breakfast as quickly as possible. She washed it down with a cup of milk and ran out to the backyard.

"Oh my…" Ayako stared at the plate that was eaten clean. "She must be very excited."

"Kolink?" Hikari wheeled around and around to look for any sky blue and black fur. "Dodaitose, have you seen Kolink?"

Dodaitose shook his head, trying to hide a smile.

Hikari was about to give up, until she spotted a long black tail! Her eyes widened. "Ko-Kolink?" She slowly took a few steps towards the tree. What she found was not a Kolink, but a Luxio! Hikari gasped. "Lu-Lu-Luxio?" Her breathing became a bit heavier. "Is that you, Kolink?"

Shinji rolled his eyes.

"Oh my Arceus, you've evolved into a Luxio!" Hikari gently embraced Shinji by the neck. "You look _great_! The purple streaks are more visible too!" She rubbed the side of her head against Shinji's. "I'm so proud of you, Luxio!"

"…" Dodaitose stared at Shinji, whose brow was twitching madly. _"… Shinji? Are you okay?"_

"_Get. This. Troublesome. Girl. Off. Me,"_ he growled. But as if on cue, Hikari immediately released her embrace. _"Damn…"_

"Sorry, Luxio…" Hikari sheepishly rubbed the back of her head. "I just wanted to show you how proud I am of your progress…" Instead of another hug, she gave Shinji a pat. "I bet Shinji would be so proud of you…" she paused, whispering these last words to herself, "… if only he could realize how hard you worked this week."

But Shinji developed a keen sense of hearing, so he heard what she said. _"Tch, this week? Are you kidding me? If I was able to train all day, I would've evolved in three days!"_ he hissed. Shinji wasn't really blaming anyone. Sure, Dodaitose suggested that he should take a break once in a while, but it was worth it. And of course, Hikari did want to do some unnecessary grooming with him, but it did entertain him to watch her try to find him when he hid.

Hikari was slightly taken aback by Shinji's sudden retort. "Err… Okay, okay, Luxio. I won't say anything else." She scratched him behind the ears, which triggered something inside Shinji. He felt more relaxed when Hikari was doing that. "Why don't we go to the mall? I'll buy you any treats you want."

"_Treats? Please…"_ Shinji murmured sarcastically, rolling his eyes. _"Like I'd want any."_

Oh boy was he wrong…

~.~.~

Pochama and Dodaitose tagged along because Hikari asked them to. They walked around the Futaba Mall looking from one store window to another.

"Did you see anything you might want, Luxio?"

Shinji gave a small frustrated sigh.

"Well, we might be here all day, because I need to do some shopping too." She put a finger to her lips. "Hmmm… Maybe I'll go to Tobari City tomorrow. They have the biggest department store in all of Shinou after all."

"_Tobari City, huh…?"_ Shinji murmured to himself. An evil smirk appeared on his face, making him look more intimidating than your average Luxio. _"Maybe I can tag along."_

Dodaitose slightly cowered at the dark aura that was emitting from Shinji. Pochama stared at Shinji as if he suddenly transformed into a human again.

Suddenly, Shinji's eyes came to a peculiar package that was on display. It appeared to be a snack. He stopped walking beside Hikari, reading the label. _"Pocky? What's that?"_

"Did you find something, Luxio?" Hikari followed Shinji's gaze to a package of Pocky. "Oh! That's Pocky, Luxio. It's chocolate-covered biscuit sticks."

"Is that your Luxio, miss?" A young woman stood up, smiling at Shinji.

"U-um, sorta. I'm just looking after my friend's Pokémon." Hikari patted him. "… I've had him for a week, and he evolved into a Luxio this morning."

"That is amazing!" the woman gushed. "You must be a very good trainer!"

Hikari giggled nervously. "Not really, ma'am. His master isn't much of a… err… bright person, so Luxio might be a bit antagonistic to me."

"Well, he seems quite curious about the Pocky. Would you like to try one, Luxio?"

Shinji raised a brow, but shrugged. He wasn't a fan of sweets, but he's never tried Pocky before. The young woman took out four Pocky sticks from a small bag and handed them to Hikari.

"One for you, Pochama, Dodaitose, and Luxio!"

"W-Wow! Thank you!" Hikari gave one to Pochama, who chewed her treat down. She held one out to Dodaitose, since he didn't have anything to hold it with. Dodaitose took it in his mouth and chomped it down. It wasn't very filling but it tasted delicious!

"_What do you think, Dodaitose?"_ Pochama asked. She grinned. _"Doesn't it taste good?"_

"_I've never had… um… Pocky before, so yes,"_ he replied. _"Shinji, what about you?"_ The two found the Pocky sticking out of Shinji's mouth. _"Do you like it?"_

Shinji shrugged. He took the Pocky out with his tail. _"It's not that bad."_ He licked the chocolate off the top of the Pocky. Strangely, he was starting to like this… Pocky snack. After the chocolate was gone, he nibbled on the biscuit.

"Do you like it, Luxio?" Hikari smiled. "Judging by the way you're eating it, I'm guessing you like it. Can I buy two packages, please?"

"Of course! You are very lucky, you know. We're having a 50% off sale on the Pocky packages."

Hikari's eyes glistened. "Wow! That's such great timing!" She paid the amount of one package for two. "Thank you so much, ma'am!" She carefully placed them in her bag and went on their way. "So is there anything else you want to see?"

"_Over there!"_ Pochama tugged on Hikari's jeans, pointing to a fashion store. _"How about there, Hikari-Chan?"_

"Alright, let's go shopping for new clothes." Hikari glanced at Luxio and Dodaitose. "Um, you won't mind if we shop there for a while, right?" She laughed nervously. Shinji rolled his eyes, while Dodaitose shook his head. "You two are the best! Hey, maybe I can buy you something in there too!"

Shinji's eyes slightly widened in horror and his eye twitched. Before he was able to retort in objection, they were in front of the store. _"… Stupid, idiotic, troublesome girl…"_

"_I don't really think it'll be that bad, Shinji,"_ Dodaitose whispered. He took a glance inside the store. _"It doesn't seem as if this store only targets a girl's interests."_ He noticed three signs in the large store. _"Look, there's one for girls, boys, and Pokémon."_

When they entered the store, they heard two gasps from two young women beside them.

They were staring at Hikari, their jaws hanging open. "W-wait, a-aren't you Hikari-San, _the_ coordinator who was in the Grand Festival?"

Hikari blinked at the two employees in fluster. "U-um, y-yes, why do you ask?"

"Your design is the most popular in all of Shinou fashion styles!" One of them held a magazine with Hikari and Mimirol, in their white dresses, on the front cover. "I can't believe we're meeting _the_ Hikari!"

Shinji walked over, gazing at the magazine in curiosity. Mimirol was wearing a white dress with a small blue bead necklace. Hikari was also wearing a white dress that extended to her ankles, white heels, a yellow ribbon sewn in the back, and the same blue bead necklace as Mimirol's. Her blue locks were put behind her ears as her hair freely flowed down without any hairclips.

"_Wow,"_ Dodaitose breathed out. He looked at Shinji, who seemed focused on the cover. _"Uh… Shinji?"_

A strange feeling was overwhelming Shinji as he continued to gaze at the magazine. He felt warmth caress his cheeks. _What is this warmth…?_ After he heard Dodaitose repeat his name again, he snapped out of his thoughts. _"It's nothing."_

"Why don't you look around in the Pokémon section? I'll be in the girl's section." Hikari left, leaving Pochama, Shinji, and Dodaitose at the front of the store.

"_Um, I'll show you around."_ Pochama led Shinji and Dodaitose into the Pokémon section. It was large and there were _so many_ different varieties of sizes, types, and colors of the clothes. _"Oh! If I was you, Dodaitose, I'd like to try this on."_ Pochama took out a small dark blue ribbon with a bell on it. She tied it on Dodaitose's tail.

Dodaitose blinked, slightly shaking his tail. The bell made a wonderful and soothing sound. _"It's a soothe bell, isn't it?"_

Pochama nodded. _"Yup! If you don't need it, it's completely fine."_

"_Thanks for the offer, Pochama, but I'll be fine without it."_ Dodaitose smiled reassuringly.

Pochama shrugged, pounding her chest with her flipper. _"No problem, Dodaitose!"_ She grinned. She turned to Shinji, who was shaking his head at the accessory. _"What? There's nothing wrong with these accessories, you know."_

"_Those would only spoil yourselves and get you weak,"_ Shinji hissed.

"_That's what you think, Shinji!"_ Pochama retorted. _"But you can be wrong!"_

Shinji smirked. _"How?"_

"_One, you can wear an accessory so one can tell the difference between their Pokémon to another."_ Pochama held up the ribbon with the soothe bell. _"Two, it can bring out a certain personality out of you."_ She pointed to Dodaitose. _"For Dodaitose, it can bring out his gentle nature."_ She shook the small bell in her flippers, a soothing chime filling the atmosphere. _"And finally, you might be able to use it during battle."_

"…" Shinji was silent. Never has he heard Pochama like this before.

Pochama put her flipper on her hip while she pointed at Shinji. _"Are those enough reasons for you?"_

Before Shinji was able to answer, Hikari rushed over. "Guys! I need your help!"

Dodaitose and Shinji looked at each other then at Hikari. Pochama pounded her flipper against her chest.

"_No problem, Hikari-Chan!"_ Pochama led Shinji and Dodaitose to the girl's section.

Shinji's eyes widened. _"NO! I __**refuse**__ to go _there_!"_ His tail was starting to light up in electricity to add to his refusal.

Pochama groaned. _"There's nothing but _clothes_, Shinji! It's not like you're going to find any underwear or lingerie in here!"_ She nearly broke into giggles after seeing Shinji's face. It was a mix of total embarrassment, disgust, and a color similar to that of a Tamato Berry. _"Just come on!"_ Pochama grabbed Shinji and threw in near the changing rooms. Dodaitose merely followed, a small blush coating his cheeks.

"Thanks for coming, you three. I just need some opinions." Hikari displayed three outfits. "I don't know whether I should wear this one…" She held up a short-sleeved light blue dress that seemed to extend to her knees, very small frills at the rims, and a white collar. "… this one…" She then held up an orange ankle-length. It had designs of maple leaves on it. "… or this one?"

She held out a quite unique, yet simple outfit. It was a light hue of violet and the top extended to the stomach. A slightly darker and sleeveless dress, which came separately with the top, flowed down with grace. It was slightly shorter than a knee-length dress.

"_Try it on, Hikari-Chan!"_ Pochama pushed her into a changing stall, closing the door behind her. _"You two better not try to escape!"_ With that, shuffling was heard. Out came Hikari with the first dress. Shinji rolled his eyes, while Dodaitose slightly shrugged. _"Yeah, it doesn't really bring out her bright personality…"_ They went back in. Hikari came out with the orange dress.

"_It kind of stands out too much, don't you think?"_ Dodaitose commented.

"_Yeah…"_ Pochama pushed Hikari back in again.

"Ne, Pochama, do you think Shinji could really be in Isshu?"

Shinji's ears perked up at his name and the question.

"_Err…"_ Pochama paused for a brief moment. Shinji heard her sigh. _"If only you knew, Hikari-Chan, if only you knew…"_

A vein popped in Shinji's forehead. _"What's _that_ supposed to be mean, you stupid penguin?"_

"… _I'm gonna kill you later, Shinji."_ The door slightly opened, Pochama's head poking out of the stall. _"But I'm pretty sure this might kill you."_ She completely opened the stall door and Hikari came out with the light violet dress. _"What do ya think?"_

Warmth was creeping up to Shinji's cheeks. Dodaitose was slightly taken aback.

Hikari looked very cute, in Dodaitose's point of view. Pochama thought the outfit brought out the best in Hikari. Shinji was silent, unable to process any thoughts.

"… _Hn."_ Shinji rolled his eyes and laid his head on his front legs. He averted his gaze somewhere else.

"Luxio, do you think I should get this one?"

Shinji looked back at Hikari, his cheeks warming up again. His tail pointed to the outfit she was wearing.

Hikari smiled. "Thanks so much, you three! I'll make sure to give you a treat! Not Poffins or Pocky, but something else…" She thought for a moment and shrugged. "Oh well." They approached the counter. Hikari laid out the outfit they chose, a cheerleader outfit, and a few fabrics. "Is there anything you want?"

"_Oh wait! I'll get something!"_ Pochama ran off into the Pokémon section and came back with a _yellow_ ribbon with the soothe bell on it. She gave it to Hikari, pointing to Shinji with her eyes.

"Oh! Of course!" Hikari added the ribbon along with the other clothes and fabrics. "I'd like to add this too, please."

"That will be 3569 Poké*, please."

Hikari paid for the products. Everything except the ribbon was put in three large bags. She carried two on her left arm and the other on her right. The soothe bell ribbon was in her right hand. "Thank you."

"No, thank _you_, Hikari-San! Have a nice day!" the employees waved as Hikari left the store.

Shinji stared at the ribbon in Hikari's hand. He then looked at Pochama, who was talking with Dodaitose. _"So why did you buy that ribbon?"_

Before he was able to realize the dark aura Pochama and Hikari were emitting, he was ambushed. _"Now, Hikari-Chan!"_ The two jumped on him, getting into a struggle. Pochama tried to tie the ribbon on Shinji's tail while Hikari tried to keep him still.

"_GET OFF ME!"_ he shouted. He wanted to use Discharge on them, but alas, it was too late. They already tied the ribbon on his tail… tight enough so he won't be able to bite, snap, or pull it off. He sighed, admitting defeat.

They went on their way, and Shinji's new soothe bell rang along as he walked. His tail moved to the side of his face. He stared at it for a while then a small smile formed. The sound was unique and soothing as if it was meant for him. Shinji rolled his eyes.

Maybe… Just maybe…

Shinji might be able to get used to this…

~.~.~

_A/N: Yes, I'm finally done! Thank you for your patience! I'm TERRIBLY sorry for the delay!_


	7. New Travel Partner! Jun Joins the Group!

_A/N: Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Thanks for your wonderful support! 8D Oh! Hikari-San! You forgot that you had to send Mimirol to the Yosuga Collection! Let's see what will happen in this chapter! (Edit: I decided to change Jun's yellow scarf into a red one.)_

_Note: Hoshino/Hermione, Paris/Paris, Jun/Barry, Kurotsugu/Palmer/Jun's Dad_

**Mystique****  
CH ****7****:**** A New Traveling Partner! Jun Joins the Team!**

It was evening and the house was exploding with cheers.

"_Oh my gosh! Did you see Hikari-Chan and Mimirol today?"_ Pachirisu exclaimed. _"They were so amazing in the Yosuga Collection!"_ She clapped her paws together joyfully.

"_Yeah, I know! Their dresses totally caught everyone's attention!"_ Pochama chirped.

"_It's possible that their design will be in the Yosuga Collection Magazine again!"_

Then, Hikari's Pokémon started imagining the next magazine cover with Hikari and Mimirol on it. Before they knew it, they were in a peaceful bliss. Shinji's Pokémon were staring at the television screen with their jaws hanging.

"… _Wow."_

"… _Who are they?"_

"… _Truthfully, I'm speechless."_

Dongkarasu and Manyula were staring at the screen with wide eyes.

After Hikari was announced as the winner, Ayako stood up from the couch and rubbed her hands on her apron. "Arceus, Hikari is quite the fashion designer." She tapped Shinji and whispered, "Shinji-Kun, can you go get your Pokémon's PokéBalls?"

Shinji nodded and walked over to his backpack. He rolled out the five PokéBalls. _"But what do you need with them?"_

"We should go congratulate them, don't you think?" Ayako smiled and called out to the bustling group of Pokémon. "Okay, everyone! Let's go pick up Hikari and Mimirol from Yosuga City!" She grabbed the PokéBalls and returned the Pokémon to their rightful capsules, except Togekiss and Shinji. She placed them in a bag and went outside. "Togekiss, would you mind giving us a lift there?"

"_Of course!"_ Togekiss responded with a smile.

"Thank you, Togekiss!" Ayako hopped on Togekiss's back. Shinji hopped on behind her. "Let's go!" They flew off to Yosuga City.

~.~.~

"Hikari!"

"Hikari!"

The crowd behind the photographers and reporters continued to shout her name in joy.

"Hikari-San, how does it feel to be the star of Yosuga Collection's Magazine again?"

"It's great! I'm just so glad at how my Mimirol performed today!" Hikari hugged Mimirol, giggling. "You really did do a good job today, didn't you?"

"_Yeah! You were great too, Hikari-Chan!"_ she replied.

"Hikari-San, may I take a picture of you, Hoshino-San, and Paris-San?"

Hikari shifted her attention to the photographer before her. "Oh! Of course!" They posed for the camera. After the photography and reporting was done, Hoshino and Paris called Hikari over. "It's been such an honor to appear on the Yosuga Collection again!"

"It's no problem, dear! You were amazing with your design once again!" Hoshino complimented.

Paris nodded. "Of course, and I loved the outfit!" She smiled brightly. "You and Mimirol were synchronized so perfectly, too."

Hikari giggled shyly, looking at her outfit. "It's not as good as Mimirol, though." Mimirol was wearing an orange vest with a heart design on the front. A white collar and small ruffles were sewn on. As for Hikari, she was wearing the same thing, except that she was wearing a matching thigh-length dress with a large heart designed on the front of the dress. She was also wearing yellow sandals and tied her hair in two with yellow fluffy hair ties.

"Oh, whatever are you talking about, dear?" Hoshino gave Hikari a good pat on the back. "You are a natural fashion designer!"

Hikari shrugged, smiling. "Well, I wouldn't exactly say I'm natural…"

"Hikari-San, how would you like to be one of our regular fashion designer guests?"

"G-guest?"

"But of course! You design beyond your average designer, you let your Pokémon's personalities and abilities shine, and you synchronize with your Pokémon perfectly!"

"_Hikari-Chan! What do you think? What do you think?"_

"… Well, I'd love that!" Hikari suddenly remembered Shinji. "… Is it okay if I can send Mimirol to you once in a while? There is someone I must find and I will be leaving for Isshu soon."

Hoshino and Paris smiled, nodding.

"Well I can sure understand your decision," Paris replied.

"Do not worry, dear," Hoshino reassured, "I am sure your Mimirol will be great as always! We will be looking forward to your future designs, okay?"

"Y-yes, ma'am!" After exchanging a few more greetings, they parted ways and Hikari waited for her mother. She reached into her backpack and brought out a small bag of Poffins. "And you deserve these, Mimirol!"

"_Hikari's Poffins!"_ Mimirol started to eat the Poffins with joy, enjoying the wonderful flavor.

"You deserve them!" Hikari stuck her tongue out playfully. Then, she looked at the clock. "I wonder where mom is."

"Ah! Hikari-San!"

Hikari turned around to see Hoshino. "Is there something wrong?"

"Look outside." Hoshino smiled, pointing out the building. "You mother and friends are here."

As Hikari looked outside, she saw her mother, her Pokémon, and Shinji's Pokémon. "Guys!" She ran out with Mimirol, embracing them all. "Mom, you brought everyone?"

"We all watched you on T.V. after all."

Without a moment of hesitation, they began to burst with joy and excitement as they chattered with them. Shinji, of course, stayed at the back of the crowd. He was fine with staying there instead of being squished by so many Pokémon. It's not like he had PokéPhobia or anything.

"Thanks for coming everyone!" Hikari giggled when the Pokémon nearly jumped on her and Mimirol. "Okay, okay! You guys are the best!"

The night passed by slowly, since everyone was having fun celebrating Hikari's victory once again.

~.~.~

"_Where am I…?" Hikari looked around her, finding nothing but darkness. "This is… either a dream… or a nightmare…" She scratched her head, trying to find something. "Hello?"_

"_Hey!"_

"That voice…"_ Hikari turned around to see that same plum-haired boy she wanted to see. "Shin… ji…?"_

"_What are you doing?"_

_Then, everything came into view. She was facing Shinji. Hikari tried to step forward, but her body refused to obey her. Her feet stopped and the ground suddenly shook violently below her. She slipped and fell backwards. She saw Shinji trying to catch her, but he couldn't grab her in time. Right before his fingers touched hers, she was plunging down into the deep forest. _

_Her lips quivered, wanting to utter out his name. "Sh… Sh…" When her mind finally processed what was happening, her eyes widened. _Help me… Save me… I don't care if this is a nightmare…! _With that thought, she let out a blood-curdling scream. "SAVE ME, SHINJI!"_

_A bright light flashed and a figure jumped from the cliff. _

"… _Who are you?"_

"_You idiot… You haven't got it yet?"_

Hikari sat up from her bed, colliding heads with Shinji. "Ow!"

Shinji tumbled down the foot of her bed from the impact. He shook his head to clear the dizziness. _"What is wrong with you?"_ He hopped back on the bed and stared at her with a cocked brow. He had heard her. It was fortunate that he was a light sleeper, while the blue penguin Pokémon was a heavy sleeper. Shinji heard her call out his name from her sleep. _"Why did you call out my name?"_

"Luxio…" She sighed in relief. "Thank Arceus…" She nearly felt like she was going to cry. When she looked at Luxio, something clicked. The tears surfaced to her eyes and flowed down her cheeks.

"_H-hey, what happened?"_ Shinji was taken aback. He didn't expect her to cry. He rolled his eyes, assuming that she had a bad nightmare. _"Calm down, will you? It was just a nightmare."_ His tail reached out to pat her head. Something didn't feel right though… Why would Hikari cry this badly from one nightmare? _"What's wrong?"_

Hikari sniffed, wiping her tears away. "Luxio, I can't stand it anymore. What if something bad happened to Shinji?" She attempted to suppress the tears away, but they just kept spilling out of her eyes. "I want to find him so much. I want to tell him something I've wanted to tell him." Her head drooped low, the tears falling on her hands.

"…" Shinji couldn't say anything. He was surprised at her response. All he could do was staying silent and watch her cry. His body wouldn't move and he felt… cold.

The sunlight was leaking out of the curtains.

"Oh, it's morning."

"Hikari! Hurry up and eat!" Ayako called out. "You're going to get a visitor soon!"

"A visitor?" From that, Hikari blew the covers off her and hopped off her bed. She wiped her tears away first. When she was about to go out, Shinji's tail grabbed her wrist. "What's wrong, Luxio?"

Shinji stayed silent. _"Why are you in such a rush?"_

"… It could be Shinji." Hikari rushed out, leaving Shinji slightly shocked. When she came out, she asked Ayako, "Who's the visitor, mom?"

Ayako glanced at her, noticing the hopeful gleam in her eyes. She hesitated, her eyes saddening. "Hikari, it's not Shinji-Kun." Then, she saw the gleam disappear. "Dear, why are you so concerned about Shinji-Kun?" On cue, Shinji came downstairs and listened to their conversation.

Hikari sipped her cup of milk. "I don't know, mom." She set her cup down. "Even I want to know why I'm so concerned…"

Shinji stared at the floor, also wondering why.

"Well, I'm sure you'll find out the answer." Ayako slipped a fried egg on a plate. "But for now, just be prepared to get a visitor."

"Who is the visitor anyways?"

Ayako chuckled. "It's Jun, Hikari. He's coming over today."

"Jun?" She spat her milk out. "Wait, why?"

"I have no idea, honey. He just called asking if he can come over to ask you something."

Hikari slowly nodded, trying to guess what Jun was going to ask her.

~.~.~

_Ding-Dong! Ding-Dong! _

"Coming!" Hikari ran downstairs. The doorbell ran again. "I'm coming!"

"Well if you don't open this door in five seconds, I am going to give you a fine! 5… 4… 3… 2…!"

Hikari flew towards the door handle and opened the door. "What did you want to come here for, Jun?"

The blonde's eyes glistened with joy. "I wanted to ask you about your future plans!"

She blinked at Jun with deadpan eyes. "You came all the way here… so you can ask me about what I'm going to do?" Hikari smacked her forehead, sighing. "Jun, don't have you _anything_ to do right now?"

"Yeah… about that…" Jun rubbed the back of his head. "I was going to go to Kengo's house, but he left for a journey to Kantou."

"Well, come in." Hikari let him in and closed the door behind her. "My mom's at the market, so I'm just alone with the Pokémon." She poured some coffee in two cups. "Why don't you have a seat, Jun?" She handed him a cup. "So you just wanted to ask me about my future plans?"

Jun sipped some of the coffee and nodded. "Yeah! I got nothing else to do, so I was gonna ask you."

"Well… I was planning to go to Isshu…" Hikari murmured.

Shinji's ears perked up at the name Isshu. He hopped on the sofa next to Hikari, curious. After all, he was still a human. Whatever this girl did, he was and should be involved – unless it was grooming and anything related to that. _So you've fully decided to go after all, huh…?_ he thought.

Hikari scratched Shinji's ears, which felt strangely good.

"Who's that?" Jun pointed to Shinji.

"This is Luxio. He's Shinji's… sort of."

Jun stood up, shocked. "You have Shinji's Luxio?" He set his cup down and looked around. He saw Shinji's Pokémon hanging around with Hikari's. "You have his Pokémon too?"

Hikari laughed nervously. "Yeah… long story…" She scratched her cheek. "I'm just taking care of his Pokémon until Shinji comes back." Suddenly, her eyes widened. "Come with us, Jun!"

"Huh?" Jun nearly fell over. "Wait, you want me to go to Isshu with you?"

"Yes!" Hikari nodded. "Dodaitose and Luxio will be coming with me, Pochama, and Togekiss! Oh, please come with us, Jun!"

Shinji, who listened to their conversation, was shocked. _"Wait, you want him to come with us? Do you know how bad that could be?"_ He shook his head disapprovingly. _What if I turn back into a human while he's around? They'll be too shocked to even talk to me… especially… her._

"It doesn't seem like Luxio wants me to go with you." Jun crossed his arms, shrugging. "I won't mind going along with you, but I think I'm gonna need Luxio's trust and permission."

"Luxio, can you please let Jun join us?" Hikari clasped her hands together, her eyes begging. "I promise that he won't be much trouble. With him, it'll feel like a team! Please, Luxio?"

"… _F-fine. I guess it won't be that troublesome."_ Shinji rolled his eyes, nodding.

"Thanks so much, Luxio!" Hikari hugged Shinji, giggling. "Well, you can travel with us, Jun! So what do you think? Will you join us?"

Jun took a while to think. He smirked and nodded. "Hell yeah, I'm goin'!" He leaned forward, his eyes wide of curiosity. "So when are we leaving for Isshu?"

Hikari took out the schedule she got last week. "Well, I was planning to go tomorrow, so how about Tuesday or Wednesday?"

"Hmmm… Tuesday's fine with me." Jun grinned. "Let me ask my dad first. Can I use your phone?" Hikari tossed him the home phone and he dialed a number. "Hey, dad! Can I travel around Isshu with Hikari tomorrow?" After a few minutes of conversing, Jun turned off the phone. "I can go! I'm gonna go pack my bag!" With that, he ran out the door, leaving Hikari and Shinji blinking after him.

"… _He's quite…"_

"He's quite the excited one isn't he, Luxio?"

Shinji hopped off the couch and walked to Dodaitose. _"Looks like we're going to Isshu tomorrow."_

Dodaitose smiled, nodding. _"Yup."_ But he slightly frowned. _"But are you sure you want to go, Shinji? You could go back to Reiji-San and train there. I'm not implying anything… I'm just saying that I have a feeling that you're still a bit against this."_ He looked at Shinji, who did seem a bit doubtful about going to Isshu. _"It's your choice, Shinji."_

"_Hn, I'm sure going to Isshu will be better than staying with Aniki."_ Shinji sighed, rolling his eyes. _"I can pretty much imagine what he's going to try to do to me."_ He smirked. _"Besides… this sounds interesting…"_

"_So what about Jun? He's traveling with us, right?"_

Shinji nodded. _"I don't think he'll be any trouble."_

"_Yeah… You two did part on good terms after all."_ Dodaitose nodded in agreement. _"So you're going to take me with you?"_

"_Yes."_

"_We'll be seeing new Pokémon,"_ Dodaitose said,_ "and I'm sure we'll be having fun."_

"_Too bad I can't catch any."_

"Ne, Pochama?" Hikari picked up her best friend and set her down on her lap. "What do you think of me becoming a Pokémon trainer?" The house went dead silent. _Everyone_ had heard her.

"_WHAT?"_ the whole house shook from the Pokémon's shouts. _"A Pokémon trainer?"_

Hikari giggled. "I'm kidding, guys! You know I want to be the Top Coordinator after all." She winked, shaking her finger back and forth. "There's no way I can make it as a Pokémon trainer."

Hikari's Pokémon breathed a sigh of relief. Shinji's Pokémon was staring at her as if she said the most impossible thing in the world.

"_Thank Arceus!"_ Pochama exclaimed. For a second there, she thought her heart had stopped. _"Don't do that to us, Hikari-Chan!"_ Then, she started throwing a fit. The fit suddenly turned into an argument, and now it turned into a pecking session.

"Ow! Ow! Ow!" Hikari tried to pull Pochama back. "Okay, okay! I won't say it again! Calm down, Pochama!" After a moment of trying to pull Pochama off her, she felt exhausted. It felt like hours of pecking had passed. "Well, I'm going to prepare the last stuff for our trip tomorrow."

Shinji and his Pokémon were discussing about Isshu.

"_Well, we're going to Isshu tomorrow."_

"_We already went over the Pokémon I'm going to take, right?"_ Shinji sat down with his soothe bell ringing behind him. His Pokémon nodded. _"I'm taking Dodaitose with me, so I'll be sending you guys over to Aniki."_ He hopped on top of the desk and dialed the number to his house. Reiji appeared on the screen. _"Aniki, I'll be asking her to give you my PokéBalls."_

"Is that so? Okay then."

Shinji lined up the four PokéBalls. _"Return."_ The four Pokémon returned to their PokéBalls in a flash of red light.

"Luxio! Where are you?" Hikari saw Shinji in front of the video phone. "Oh! Reiji-San!" She rubbed Shinji's head. "Did Luxio call you?"

"Yup."

Shinji sighed in relief, brushing her hand away. _"Hn."_

"Yep. He was going to ask you if you can send his PokéBalls over to me."

Hikari nodded. "Of course! I'll send them to you by the video phone in the Futaba Pokémon Center!" Hikari disconnected. She got Luxio and ran over to the Futaba Pokémon Center with the four PokéBalls. When she arrived, she called Reiji again. "I'll be sending you the PokéBalls again, Reiji-San!"

"Go ahead! I'm ready over here!"

Hikari deposited the PokéBalls in a capsule and pressed a yellow button. A bright light flashed and they disappeared.

"Okay, I got them!" Reiji showed her the four PokéBalls. "Good luck on your trip to Isshu, Hikari-Kun!"

"Thank you, Reiji-San!"

Reiji glanced at Shinji and winked. "You too, _Luxio_."

Shinji rolled his eyes and nodded once.

~.~.~

"Well, I'm done with my packing!" Hikari set her bag down on the couch. "I should call Jun right now!" She dialed Jun's number on the video phone with Shinji in front of her.

"Hello?"

"Ah, Kurotsugu-San, is Jun there?"

"Oh, it's you! Hold on a minute!" Kurotsugu disappeared from the screen. "Jun! Hikari is on the phone! She's lookin' for you!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Jun skidded to the screen. "Hikari! Are you done with the packing?"

"Yup! Are you?"

"I'm almost done, but I got one question to ask you."

Hikari blinked. "What?"

Jun crossed his arms. "What are you going to do with Shinji's Pokémon?" He pointed to Shinji. "I mean, do you even know where he is? Why are you going to Isshu with his Pokémon anyways?"

"Well, it's a long story. Anyways, we're only taking Dodaitose. The rest are sent to Reiji-San."

A vein popped in Shinji's head. He knew he was a Luxio, but it was annoying to be treated as if he was stupid. _"Both of you… Shut up!"_ His fur dangerously shone as a warning.

"O-okay, Lu-Luxio… No need to worry!"

"By the way, when are you going to buy the tickets?"

"Tomorrow, of course." Hikari leaned on the video phone. "I'll buy them around noon. I'll buy the tickets, so you better pay me back!" She smirked. "If you don't, I'm gonna fine ya!"

"Hey! That's my line!" Jun pointed at her.

Hikari laughed. "Oh well!" She continued to rub Shinji's head. "But I'm serious, Jun. You better pay me back."

"Whatever." Jun waved it off. "So what time are we going to Isshu?"

"Oh! Let me check the schedule!" Hikari took out the piece of paper the receptionist gave her. "Let's see… Tuesday…" She started mumbling the times when the ship departs. "How does 5 PM sound to you?"

"Sounds perfect! I'll be there at 4, okay?"

"Then it's settled! See you tomorrow!"

"See ya!"

With that, they disconnected. Hikari took Shinji off the desk and set him down. "Let's get ready to go tomorrow, Luxio!"

~.~.~

It was evening and everyone had their dinner already. Some were inside playing, some were already sleeping, and some were just lying around.

Hikari was outside, looking at the stars in the night sky. Shinji noticed this and walked outside. _"What are you doing here, Troublesome Girl?"_ He sat next to her. _"Hey, can you hear me?"_

"Hey, Luxio…?"

"_What?"_

"I wonder where Shinji could be…" Hikari quietly asked. "I hope I find him in Isshu."

"_You will,"_ Shinji muttered. _"And I'm sure you won't talk to me ever again… if I suddenly appear in front of your eyes."_

"You really remind me of him, you know?" Hikari chuckled, glancing at Shinji. "Those purple streaks, your onyx eyes, your personality… They remind me of Shinji, Luxio."

"…" Shinji didn't know what to say.

Hikari smiled to herself.

"I wonder if I…"

The rest was a quiet whisper that Shinji couldn't make out at all.

"Hikari! Can you come over here for a minute?"

"Coming, mom!" She stood up and walked over to Ayako. "What did you need, mom?"

Ayako handed her a box with new shoes. It was covered with a wrap. "I made you a new outfit, Hikari. Change and tell me when you're done, okay?" Hikari accepted the clothes and went upstairs to change.

The outfit had a sky blue, waist-length, short-sleeved vest with a blue, thigh-length dress. The shoes were ankle-length, periwinkle sandals with black socks. A white scarf was also included. Hikari tried it on and looked at herself. "Wow! This is amazing!"

"Hikari, are you done dressing yet?"

"O-oh! Of course!"

Ayako entered her room, carrying a few pins and a hair tie. "Here, let me do your hair. If you don't like it, you can just go with your previous style." She got to work with Hikari's hair. "No peeking, dear." She started to fiddle with this and that. "You know, your friends – even Shinji-Kun's Pokémon – helped me make this. Their bonds are sewn within this present." Within a few minutes, she was done. "Take a look, Hikari."

Hikari opened her eyes to see a different hairstyle. Her hair was tied into a low ponytail with a light violet hair tie. Her hair was held back by two small light violet pins.

"Wow, mom! I love it!" Hikari gushed. "You're the best!" She gave her mom a huge hug. "I want to see everyone's reaction!" She ran downstairs as fast as she can. "Guys! Guys!" She twirled around, her new ponytail following behind her.

The Pokémon gasped and squealed in joy. Shinji and Dodaitose were staring at her with their jaw hanging open. It's like they were seeing a whole new Hikari.

"_Dodaitose… Smack me."_

"_You're not dreaming, Shinji. This is real…"_ Dodaitose replied.

"_Oh my gosh, Hikari-Chan looks so cute!" _

More compliments went around and Hikari hugged them. "Thanks, everyone!"

~.~.~

_**Next Day… 4:30 PM…**_

"Where's Jun? He was supposed to be here thirty minutes ago!" Hikari checked her Pokétch every ten minutes. "Ugh, why that little… Why I ought to fine him for this!"

Shinji lied down and rested his head on his forelegs, staring at the sunset. He didn't mind waiting at all. He was a little too preoccupied with what Hikari said last night. _"What could she have said that time…?_"

"Hey! I'm here!" Jun came running over with his bag. "Sorry to have kept you waiting!"

Hikari scanned his outfit. "Wow, Jun. You look amazing."

Jun was wearing a sleeveless green vest with a short-sleeved orange shirt. He wore dark blue, baggy jeans with black leather shoes. A thin, red scarf hugged his neck.

"Hey, thanks!" Jun grinned. "But I'm pretty sure you don't look as amazing as me!"

A sweat drop was visible in Hikari's expression. "Yeah… Sure…"

"So why are we here early?"

"I need to get more supplies for our trip. Did you get any?" Shinji lifted his head from his forelegs and looked at the clock. They had only fifteen minutes left. "Well, we should hurry. The PokéMart isn't that far, so we'll have enough time!"

Jun nodded in agreement. "What are we waiting for? Let's go!" They ran off to the PokéMart.

Shinji decided to stay behind so he can watch the boat. He was fast enough to alert them if the boat was flaring the last horn. He watched the sun slowly set under the horizon. _"… I wonder how this trip will go for me."_

It was a few minutes away from departure and the two came running in, gasping for breath.

"Thank Arceus!"

Jun pounded his chest to let some air in. "Yeah! If Luxio hadn't come, we would've missed our ride!"

The boat flared its last horn, signaling the three to hurry. The three hurried on to the boat and flashed their tickets, except Shinji, to the ticket usher. They went in and found themselves to be in a boat full of tourists and trainers.

"All right! I can seriously battle with all these guys!"

"Just don't take it too far, Jun."

"Whatever. Catch ya later!" Jun ran off to battle… whoever he bumped into.

Hikari sighed, wanting to smack herself. "Let's go check out a room, Luxio…"

~.~.~

_**12:00 AM…**_

Shinji awoke to a shuffling noise. He lifted his head to see Hikari stepping out their room. _"… Hm?"_ He hopped off the foot of her bed and followed her.

Hikari went outside and sat on the wooden floor. The cool oceanic breeze gently caressed her frame. She hugged her knees, staring at the ocean and specks of bright lights behind. "… I think…"

"_Hey."_

"H-huh?" Hikari turned her head around to see Shinji. "Oh, it's just you, Luxio…" She chuckled nervously. "You scared me for a while there." She took a deep breath. "Why don't you take a seat, Luxio?" Shinji shrugged and lied down next to her. "Hey, Luxio?"

"_What?"_ Shinji's eyes averted their gaze to her. When he realized she was weeping, he was taken aback. _"W-whoa, wait, why are you crying?"_

Hikari chuckled. "It's just so hard to say…" She hid her face behind her knees, trying to suppress a sob. "Luxio… Remember yesterday morning? When I said that I've wanted to tell Shinji something?"

Shinji blinked in curiosity and surprise. _"What abou-?"_

"Well… I think I…" Hikari hesitated, and then shook her head. "No, that's not the right way to say it."

"_Huh?"_

"I… I love Shinji."

~.~.~

_A/N: Did I shock you? :D No? Oh Arceus! xDD Here's a few questions for you guys: _

_**How will Shinji react?  
When do you think Hikari realized this?  
Do you Jun lost to any trainers in the ship?  
What do you think PokéPhobia is?  
What's Reiji's true motive?**__ (I'm totally kidding on this one. xD But if you want to answer for the heck of it, be my guest! 8P)_

_For those who have been reading my __Ribbon of Royalty__ fanfic, I'm glad to announce that I will be reconstructing it into a better and more interesting plot! You can expect the first chapter to be around… the first or second week of December._

_And my profile has changed! Please read it! It's pretty important!_

_Oh! If you want to see the designs for Hikari and Jun's new clothes, I'll post up a picture next week on my deviantART, okay?_


	8. Avoiding Hikari

_A/N: __**PLEASE READ THE AUTHOR'S NOTE AT THE WAY END! IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS FANFIC! Please answer the question in bold, italics, and underline!**_

_Hikari confesses to Luxio, except she doesn't know that Luxio is actually Shinji! What will Shinji do? The title says it all. xDD _

_Note: Bakphoon/Typhlosion, Skunpuu/Stunky, Emperte/Empoleon _

**Mystique****  
CH ****8****:**** Avoiding Hikari**

"I… I love Shinji."

The words lingered in Shinji's head for a few seconds. When he managed to process it, his cheeks flushed red. _"W-whoa, what?"_ Shinji felt his fur stand on end.

Hikari dug her head in her knees, her face completely red. "Uwaa… This is so embarrassing!" She gulped. "Luxio, can you promise not to tell Shinji that? I want to tell him that once I find him… even if I can see him only once."

Oh, if only she can realize that Luxio was Shinji…

Shinji jerked his head to the side, his face redder than ever. He couldn't speak. He couldn't think. He couldn't turn back around. All he was able to do was look away. _She… li-loves me?_ he thought. It took a while for him to speak again. _"Since when…?"_

"I… I don't know when I started to love him…" Hikari started, "It's so weird, Luxio." She sighed deeply, slightly combing her bangs back. "I probably loved him ever since that day he battled Satoshi." Once again, she dug her head into her knees. "When he told me about his main issue with Satoshi, I realized something."

"_Huh?"_ Shinji finally managed to turn his head back to Hikari.

"I thought he was a cold, stubborn, and spoiled jerk," she giggled, "but then I realized that he's an honest person. Although he says the truth pretty bluntly, he's still a good and polite guy." Her cheeks became pink. "When I saw that side of him, I felt so warm inside." Hikari held a hand to her chest. "It might seem really stupid, but it looked like he opened up to me."

"…" He scratched the back of his head with his tail.

"Can you keep this as a secret? I don't want anyone else to find out."

Shinji was hesitant, but he nodded. But how can he keep it a secret when he wasn't even supposed to know it? He wanted to smack himself. He just wanted to strangle that Natio for getting him into this mess. Even though being a Pokémon was his main trouble, this situation rivaled it. Right now, the victory went to this awkward situation. All he needed to become human again was to evolve all the way into a human. But this… he couldn't do anything about it.

He wanted to go back to the room, but his mind wouldn't let him do so. It's like his mind knew that Hikari needed either Pochama or him, as Luxio, beside her. Fate had chose Shinji. It seems that it was actually a convenient decision. If it was Pochama who was standing there right now, what would Hikari be going through after those words?

"Hey, Luxio?"

There was no reply.

"Do you think he hates me?"

That nearly made him sweatdrop. It's not that he didn't hate her, but he didn't know how to put it. Shinji probably saw her as…

… _What did I ever see her as?_ Shinji paused to think. He'd always get yelled at by her. That day at the Suzuran Conference, Hikari did listen to him without any attempts at kicking him to death… or laughter. It was almost like… a sister? _…Never…_ he thought. She seemed more of a good friend. Takeshi was similar, but he was an adult after all (Not really. Takeshi's about 16 years old or so). As for Satoshi, he was just a friendly rival.

Shinji simply shook his head. He definitely did not hate Hikari. He just thought she was annoying… and troublesome. _"Hn, you sure are idiotic to think so…"_

Hikari wiped her tears away, sniffing. She smiled, staring at the small lights behind the boat. "What do you know? I really am going to Isshu." She giggled. "This is my first time traveling outside of Shinou, Luxio."

"_I figured that a long time ago."_ He also stared at the lights that belonged to the ferry port of Shinou. He remembered that time in Kurogane City when he was going to have his gym battle with Hyouta. Hikari was quite excited that she was going to watch a gym battle for the _first time_. That gave him the clue that this was her first time going on a journey.

"Hey, Luxio?"

"_What?"_ But when Shinji faced Hikari, he turned pink and turned his head to the lights again.

"It's so strange…" she laughed. "Who would've thought that I'd love Shinji?"

"_I should be asking you the same thing,"_ he responded, _"Who would've thought that you'd like me?"_

Hikari stood back up, stretching. "Well, we should get back to sleep. We have a big day to prepare tomorrow after all." She was about to walk downstairs when she noticed that Shinji wasn't following her. "Luxio? Are you coming?"

Shinji realized what she said. _"Yeah, I'm coming."_ He followed her downstairs and back to the dorm, where Jun was sleeping soundly. Hikari snuggled back into her bed with Pochama. Now, Shinji would be sleeping at the foot of the bed, but after this, he couldn't find the right mind to do so.

He looked around to find something else to sleep on. Fortunately for him, the window was large enough to fit him and it had a great view of the ocean. He hopped on the platform of the window and slept.

~.~.~

_**Next Morning…**_

"Wake up, Hikari!" Jun shouted. He was super pumped for today. "C'mon! It's only a few hours until we arrive to Isshu!"

Of course, being the girl who liked to sleep in for a bit, Hikari pulled the covers over her. But the blonde wouldn't allow that. He was just like Satoshi when Hikari wanted to sleep in.

"If you're not up in five seconds, I am not only going to fine you," he started, "I'm going to pull you out of your bed!" He held up his hand and started counting down.

Well… Jun wasn't _just_ like Satoshi. He was more… demanding…

"I'm up! I'm up!" Hikari shouted. "Geez…" She hopped out of bed and went to the restroom. "Why did you even wake me up this early? It's six in the morning!"

Jun groaned, frustrated. "Hey, I got a few trainers to beat today! I beat one a few minutes ago!" He crossed his arms, pouting. "If you think this is early, you should see how early Luxio gets up!"

Hikari rolled her eyes as she brushed her teeth. "Luxio gets up early all the time! It's his nature!"

"And it should be in _your_ nature to get up early too!" Jun exclaimed. "If you're not going to get up and start sleeping in like this, I am going to leave you behind!"

"You. Wouldn't."

The blonde smirked. "Well, you can never know what can happen, you know?" After a second of silence passed, he laughed. "I'm kidding, Hikari! If I did, you'd be trying to find me all over Isshu just so you can kick my ass." Jun shuddered. "Yep… Girls are scary when they're angry…" Hikari came out of the restroom, smirking. "Gah! Don't kill me!"

She giggled. "Well, I'm just glad that you've realized that I can be scary when I can be." She gave Jun a big smile and patted his shoulder before getting a different set of clothes. Jun twitched, knowing that there was more than that meaning behind that innocent smile.

It was only a few minutes when Hikari came back out of the restroom, wearing her cheerleading clothes. Instead of pink, it was a yellow-orange-green uniform. The style was almost the same as the one she used in Shinou, except that the shirt had a slightly loose turtleneck. "Well, what do ya think?"

"Um… Wow, Hikari. Where the heck did you get those from?"

"I made it." She spun around, her short skirt following her. "These colors represent you. I also made another set for myself." Hikari dug through the bag and pulled out a uniform that had colors of blue, purple, and black. "I'm gonna be wearing this when I go into battle!"

Jun's jaw dropped, making an 'X' with his arms. "Wait… When you mean by battle…"

Hikari rolled her eyes. "What? I can battle too, you know!" She stuffed her cheerleading set in her bag and took out blue pom-poms. "Let's go." She looked around. "Did Luxio leave?"

"Yeah, he left when he woke up." Jun blinked. "Why?"

A blush coated her cheeks and she looked away. "N-nothing…" She dragged Jun out the dorm after making sure that the room didn't have any of their belongings in it. "You go battle some trainers and I'll be cheering you on." Hikari took out a PokéBall and out came Pochama. "Ne, can you go find Luxio and lead him to the battle floor? He wasn't in our room since he woke up."

"_No problem, Hikari-Chan!"_ Pochama ran off around the ship to find Shinji. _"Hey! Shinji! Where are you?"_

"_What do you want?"_

Pochama wheeled around to see Shinji resting on the top of the boat. _"Oh, there you are. Hey, Hikari-Chan's looking for you."_ When she saw that Shinji jerked his head to the side, she blinked. _"Something wrong?"_

"_What would you do…?"_

"_Huh?"_

Shinji shook his head. _"It's nothing."_

But since Pochama was stubborn, she didn't buy that excuse. _"C'mon… Come down here and tell me."_ She crossed her flippers, tapping her feet. _"I've been stuck with you long enough to know what's up or not."_ The look on Shinji's face extremely pleased the penguin Pokémon. Pochama stuck one flipper to her hip and shrugged. _"Usually I wouldn't care about it – even if you insult me – but since you haven't, I'm curious."_

"_Why are you so meddlesome?"_

"_Hey, if it was Hikari over here, she would understand you _much _better than me!"_ Pochama exclaimed. _"The only reason I can tell is because I've been stuck with you ever since you became a flippin' Kolink, can talk in Pokémon language, and showed me enough signs of your behavior!"_ Once again, the shocked expression pleased Pochama. _"Will you tell me what's bothering you?"_

Shinji grunted. _"No,"_ he hissed. _"Why would I ever tell a dense little Pokémon like you?"_

"_Are you serious, Shinji?"_ Pochama muttered. _"You know, I'm caring about whatever situation you're in and you just blow me off?"_ She ended up lecturing him about her caring. She would usually never care about anything unless it was Hikari, her friends… and her pride… _"So are you going to tell me or not?"_

"…" He was not moved by her lecture. But the question he wanted to ask continued to haunt him. _"What would you do…"_

Pochama waved her flipper to go on.

"… _if a certain person confessed to you that they love you, except you weren't supposed to hear it?"_

"_Can you get into more details?"_ she questioned.

Shinji wanted to continue, but he knew Pochama might get suspicious. He just had to take the chances. _"Pretend you were me (Pochama: Like heck I would…),"_ he started. _"That person doesn't know that you're actually the person they like and they confess and ask you to keep it a secret. What would you do?"_

There was nothing but silence between the two.

Pochama put a flipper to her beak. _"Well… I won't know. It depends on who the person is."_ She then reverted back to her usual self. _"I mean, really, what kind of girl would love you?"_ The idea suddenly struck her. _"I… It's not Hikari-Chan, is it?"_

Shinji's cheeks turned a bit pink and he jerked his head to the side again. _"No, it isn't. I'm just asking."_

"_Well, anyways… Hikari-Chan was looking for you, so follow me."_ Pochama went on her way as Shinji followed her. _"Shinji… I'm just saying, but if that person is Hikari-Chan…"_ she paused, _"then I wouldn't really mind if she loved you."_

That nearly made the boy fall over. _"What?"_

"_I know I'm a dense Pokémon!"_ Pochama admitted. _"But Hikari and I have a strong bond like how you and Dodaitose have one. I'm smart enough to understand Hikari's feelings."_ She slowed her pace to a stop and turned around. _"I might seem completely out-of-character right now, but I'm just saying what I think."_ Pochama took a deep breath and continued her way to Hikari. _"Don't tell Hikari-Chan and others of this."_

Shinji blinked, thinking about Pochama's words. Even he didn't think that the blue penguin would give him useful advice. Actually, scratch that. He didn't think she'd actually get the hint and tell him her opinion. He shook his head in disbelief. Hikari and Pochama were beings that were unpredictable to him.

~.~.~

Pochama led Shinji to the battle floor of the boat, where Jun was battling a trainer. Hikari was cheering her friend on to win.

They made their way through the crowd and returned to Hikari.

"Ah! There you are! I was getting worried!" Hikari picked up Pochama in her arms. "Let's do our cheerleading routine, okay?" She looked at Shinji, who looked away immediately. The corner of her eye slightly twitched, but it passed unnoticeable. She turned around again and did many routines with Pochama.

While they were doing so, Shinji caught a few boys shooting glances at her. He shot them death glares and they flinched, moving their eyes back to the battle. However, there was one being very stubborn. It was like the guy was trying to look underneath the skirt. Although Shinji knew that she was wearing short tights underneath (Don't judge him. He was told that), it was enough to get him shooting daggers at the lad.

But the boy didn't budge.

Shinji growled and released a Discharge attack. It aimed straight for the pervert and hit him. Not a single bolt was left out. The crowd stared at Shinji and the boy with wide eyes. Murmuring began to sound throughout the trainers.

"Luxio, what are you doing?" Hikari knelt down to hold Shinji back from clawing the face off of the boy. "Luxio!"

"_Shit…"_ His face turned slightly red as he tried to escape from her hold. He ran off, but he did not forget to run over the pervert. The crowd looked at the pervert, to Shinji, to Hikari.

"What… just happened?"

"That idiot over there tried to look under your skirt," a girl replied. "That's why your Luxio shocked him." She looked at the direction where Shinji ran off to. "But I wonder why he ran away though…" But that was forgotten when the whole boat seemed to stay away from the boy – especially the girls. Oh the poor trainer…

"_What is wrong with me?"_ Shinji hissed. He smacked himself to snap himself out of it, but to no avail. When Hikari tried to find him, he hopped on a platform above her. _"Damn it…"_ He just wanted to smack his head against a brick. _"What is wrong with me?"_

Hikari looked around in worry. "Luxio? Luxio, where are you?" She scratched her head. "Why did you run off?" Sighing, she put her hands to her hips. "I'm not going to scold you or anything!" Her brow twitched. "Luxio, if you think I'm stupid enough to not know where you are, then you are extremely wrong." She turned around to see Shinji looking away from her.

"You!" The same boy who tried to look under her skirt came stomping over. "Your Luxio is going to pay for this. I want a battle right now!"

Shinji narrowed his eyes, glaring at the boy. _"…"_

"Fine." Hikari reached for a PokéBall. "Double battle right here!"

A crowd was gathered at the entrance of the deck, cheering. They've never seen the blonde trainer's companion battle before. "Battle! Battle! Battle!" they shouted.

"Bakphoon and Skunpuu, Fight On!" A Bakphoon appeared in a flash of red light and howled.

"Togekiss and Luxio, Charm up!" She threw her PokéBall, and out came Togekiss. Shinji merely hopped off the platform, sitting on his hind legs.

The trainer smirked. "Ladies first."

Hikari pointed at the sky. "Togekiss, fly and use Safeguard! Luxio, use Charge!" As Togekiss flew up, a sparkling green barrier surrounded Togekiss. "Keep it up for a few minutes!" Shinji gathered electrical energy in his body to prepare for an attack.

"Bakphoon, use Flamethrower on Togekiss! Skunpuu, use Fury Swipes on Luxio!" Togekiss was hit by the Flamethrower, but her Safeguard protected her. As for Shinji, he was able to dodge the Fury Swipes with ease.

"Togekiss, use Air Slash on Bakphoon! Luxio, Discharge on Skunpuu!" Togekiss spun in the air, waving her wing. A ball of light blue energy formed at the tip of her wing and she threw it at the fire Pokémon. Shinji released the energy stored in him, aiming with 100% accuracy at Skunpuu. Unfortunately for the opponents, Shinji added in a little death glare, which sent them off-guard.

The two attacks hit the Pokémon and stumbled.

The trainer gritted his teeth. "Got no choice…" He clenched his fist. "Bakphoon, use Swift!" Bakphoon released a stream of stars at Togekiss and Shinji. They both tried their best to dodge it, but they got hit. Togekiss fell to the ground and Shinji was on one of his knees. "Skunpuu, use Explosion!"

Shinji's eyes widened and noticed Skunpuu leaping at them. _"Shit!"_ He looked at Hikari, who didn't know what to do. _"What are you doing?"_ He looked at Togekiss, who was up and about. _"You! Fly high right now!"_ Shinji hopped on her back.

"_O-okay!"_ Togekiss flew up in the sky, far enough from Skunpuu's limit of explosion. But he expected more than just that.

"Bakphoon, use Swift to give Skunpuu a boost!" Although it would risk some pain, Bakphoon leapt up and gave Skunpuu a boost as it began to glow white.

"Togekiss, prepare Aura Sphere! Luxio, use Spark on Aura Sphere!" A ball of light blue energy formed from Togekiss's mouth. Shinji used Spark and touched the Aura Sphere. It turned purple and yellow. "Shoot it at Skunpuu!" Togekiss released it, shooting it at the Skunpuu that was still coming at them.

The Aura Sphere bounced Skunpuu back to Bakphoon. It was too late to stop the explosion, for Skunpuu exploded violently along with Bakphoon. They fell to the ground, fainted. The crowd cheered for Hikari's victory.

Shinji smirked. _"Too easy."_ He recalled the combination of Togekiss's Aura Sphere and his Spark. It was quite a powerful move. He looked at Hikari from the corner of his eyes. _She's troublesome at critical times,_ he thought, _but she's not so stupid after all._ When Hikari looked at him, his gaze suddenly shifted and attempted to walk past her. _"And it happens again…"_

Hikari returned Togekiss into her PokéBall. When she noticed Shinji trying to walk past her, she tightly hugged him.

His heart slightly leaped. _"What the-?"_

"You were amazing, Luxio!" Hikari exclaimed. "That combination worked so well!" She giggled, continuing to hold him. "You were so powerful too! Did you see how Skunpuu nearly fell when hit by your Discharge?" She clapped her hands joyfully, excited. "That was so awesome!"

When she finally let go of him, he hurried off away from her. He just couldn't take it anymore. He didn't know why he was acting this way around Hikari now. Was it because of last night? Was it because of Hikari's confession? Was it the way she said it? Those words… He couldn't get them out of his head.

"_I… I love Shinji."_

His face felt hot again and his legs felt slightly wobbly. _"Ugh… This is not my day…"_

~.~.~

_**At the Port of Isshu…**_

"We're finally here!" Jun shouted into the air. "Isshu, here I come!"

Hikari giggled, holding Pochama in her arms while Shinji was behind her. "Well, according to the information Reiji-San sent me, he said to go to Kanoko Town and visit Dr. Araragi." She held out a piece of paper containing Reiji's instructions. "Fortunately, he provided a map for us. Let's go, Jun!"

While they were walking, Jun tapped Hikari's shoulder. "Ne, Hikari, what are you going to do if there aren't any Pokémon Contests here?"

The blunette stopped, realizing what he said. "Well…" She crossed her arms, going into deep thinking. "I'm not sure… I would like to try being a Pokémon Trainer, but my goal is to be the Top Coordinator."

"Why don't you try being a Pokémon Trainer?"

"Uh…" She laughed nervously. "I asked as a joke, but Pochama threw a fit and started pecking me. They really love Contests and I'm sure they wouldn't want to quit."

"It's not quitting, Hikari! It's just temporarily!" Jun grabbed Hikari's shoulders and shook her. "But what if Isshu doesn't have Contests? What do you plan to do then?"

Pochama held out a flipper. _"She can just cheer for you in your Gym Battles, you know!"_ She crossed her arms, nodding sharply. _"She can also design clothes for us!"_

Hikari giggled. "Well, I'm not sure what I want to do. Being a Pokémon Trainer sounds interesting, but I do like to cheer you guys on and make outfits." She lowered her head to think. "What do you think, Lux-?"

Shinji walked towards a small stream, drinking the water out of it. It was clean and fresh.

"… What's wrong with Luxio?"

"I think I might know…" Hikari replied, "but I'll talk to him some other time. I don't think he'd want to talk to me right now…"

"What'd you do?" Jun only received a simple shake of her head. "C'mon, tell me!"

"Sorry, Jun." Hikari smiled. "It's personal."

Jun rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, whatever you say!" He crossed his arms, murmuring as he followed Hikari. It had been half an hour since they were walking from the Isshu pier. "Ugh, when are we going to reach Kanoko Town?"

Hikari groaned, shaking her head. "Will you be patient? You know that we can't get our starter Pokémon that quickly." She looked at the note that was given to her by Reiji. "Besides, Reiji-San said that we can't be too hasty to start." She saw the small scribbles written in the margins and read it. "Spend at least a week looking around. It'll help pass the time until they prepare the next Starter Pokémon."

"Aw man!" The blonde felt frustrated. "We have to wait _that_ long?" He crossed his arms, pouting. "Whatever… At least I have my Emperte." Yes, he did bring his Emperte from Shinou. However, Emperte was the _only_ Pokémon he brought. It was amazing for Hikari to see how many trainers he was able to beat with just one Pokémon.

~.~.~

It was late in the afternoon when the team reached Kanoko Town. There were a few inns open. There was the Pokémon Center, a Hot Springs Inn, and an inn with a fancy restaurant. If you knew Hikari as much as Shinji did, you'd know which one she would choose.

"Ooh!" Hikari squealed. "Let's go to the Hot Springs Inn!"

"For once, I am going to agree with you…" Jun muttered. "I'm tired from all that walking!" He sighed, his eyes droopy from exhaustion. They walked in the Hot Springs inn, meeting a gentle and soft scent of spearmint. They arrived to the counter nearby.

"One room under Hikari's name, please." They paid their half of the price and handed it to the receptionist.

"Yes, ma'am." The receptionist handed her an envelope. "This envelope has cards that have your room number on it. Just hold this side up," the receptionist showed the side where three dots aligned, "to the signal detector on your door and it'll open." She smiled and bowed. "We hope you enjoy our Hot Springs Inn!"

The inn was a traditional hot springs inn, where they had tatami rooms with futon beds. There was a kotatsu, which is a low Japanese table covered by a futon, for the winter season. Also, each room had a very nice view of the Pokémon forest.

The two entered their room and was amazed by it! The room was quite spacious, the futon beds were soft, they had a nice view of the forest and the Pokémon, and the temperature inside was perfect for the winter season.

Hikari and Jun put their bags on the kotatsu.

"Hey, they even have a hot springs for Pokémon!" Hikari pointed to a piece of paper on top of their table. "Sweet!" She looked around to look for the closet. "Jun, are you going to go to the hot springs right now?"

"Yep!" Jun called out Emperte. "Let's get you healed in the hot springs, Emperte!" His Pokémon nodded happily. Hikari gave him a basket, where there was a blue robe and a towel. The two ran out in excitement. "Hot springs, here we come!"

Hikari smiled after him and got her basket. She got out her PokéBalls from her pocket. "Come on out, Togekiss and Mimirol!" The two Pokémon appeared next to Pochama. "Let's go enjoy a nice time in the hot springs!" They cheered along with Hikari. "Are you coming too, Lu-?" But Shinji was nowhere in sight. "… Maybe he went with Jun…"

They went out the door and locked it behind her.

Shinji appeared from under the futon of the kotatsu. He laid his head on her front arms, watching the door. He somehow had a feeling that Hikari knew he didn't go with Jun. She probably figured that he was in the room. _"Why can't I just get over that and go on like I usually do?"_

~.~.~

It was about five days since their stay in Kanoko Hot Springs Inn.

Shinji had managed to avoid Hikari those days. If she would try talking to him, he would listen without looking at her. If she would try to pet him, he would automatically get up and walk away. When she's trying to find him, he would subconsciously hide somewhere.

It wasn't like her confession to him made him uncomfortable. It was some kind of feeling that was preventing him from ignoring it like he usually would do. Fangirls would chase after him once in a while and a few girls had confessed to him, but he felt and treated it like nothing. Hikari's confession was causing chaos inside Shinji.

_Why?_

Is it because she caught him off-guard? Is it because she said what he thought was the most impossible thing ever? Is it because it was too sudden?

Or…

Is it because he might have the same feelings for her too?

Shinji shook his head to clear his thoughts, his cheeks turning hot again. _"No, I do _not_ have the same feelings for her."_ He continued to deny it until he was calm and it almost worked. That was until Hikari entered their room, making Shinji hit his head on the edge of the kotatsu. _"Ow!"_ He growled in pain.

"So you were here…" Hikari trailed off. "Do you want to come to the hot springs with us, Luxio?" She grabbed Shinji's bag and took out Dodaitose's PokéBall. "I'm going to be taking Dodaitose with me. I hope you won't mind."

"_Hey, don't take my Pokémon like that."_ He snatched Dodaitose's PokéBall in his mouth. _"I'll go, so don't be taking Dodaitose."_ He followed Hikari to the point where she had to go to the Women's Bath. Shinji entered the Men's Bath. He threw Dodaitose's PokéBall in the air and out came his Pokémon. Then, he hopped on his back.

"_Where are we?"_

"_We're in Kanoko Town, Isshu,"_ Shinji replied. _"We're in a hot springs inn."_ He looked for Jun's basket and found it with his clothes. He put the PokéBall on top of his clothes and went in. They washed themselves first and walked down the hallway of doors that had different hot springs with different waters in it.

It was surprising how many baths there were in the Pokémon Hallway. There was one for every type. Dodaitose decided to go into the bath for Grass Type Pokémon.

Shinji went into the baths for people and went into the first one. It was an outdoor hot springs where you can see the sky. Dusk was already beginning to fall so the lamps were lit around. He went in the soothing water. It helped loosen the tension in his muscles. When he was about to completely relax, he spotted someone at the opposite side of the springs.

As he narrowed his eyes to focus through the steam, he saw blue hair. It was Hikari. His eyes widened and nearly fell in the water. _"What the? What is she doing in here?"_ He coughed. It caught Hikari's attention.

"Who's there?" Hikari found Shinji coughing. "L-L-Luxio?" She sank deeper in the water, her face red. "W-w-what are you doing here?"

"_That's what I should be asking you!"_ Shinji looked away, blushing from embarrassment. After all, he was with a _girl_ in a bath! Something caught his eye. On the door, there was a sign.

_Attention to all bathers!_

_This outdoor bath is a mixed bath starting from dusk._

_Please enjoy your time here in Kanoko Town's Hot Springs Inn!_

_What did I do to deserve this?_ he thought. It was more than enough to have Hikari's confession replay in his head.

"Oh geez, I should've read that notice earlier…" Hikari blew bubbles in the water. "But this bath had the water that can help you relax at tense situations." She leaned on the edge of the bath, peering in the forest. "I wonder which starter Pokémon I should get…"

Shinji sighed and sank into the water. He enjoyed the soothing feeling. It wasn't a while until he watched Hikari gaze at the stars. They were beginning to appear in the night sky.

"Are you mad at me, Luxio?"

"_Huh?"_ He was caught off-guard with that question.

"I mean…" she hesitated. "It seemed like you were avoiding me ever since I confessed that I l-love Shinji." Hikari took the towel on her head off and dried her face. She folded it up and placed it on her head again. "Do you hate me?"

That nearly sent him through guilt. And for someone with a personality like his, that was abnormal. He didn't hate her. He avoided her because something was making him refuse to be near her.

"Luxio, please answer me." Hikari slightly sat near Shinji. "Do you hate me because I love Shinji?"

Shinji took a deep breath and gave her a firm answer. _"No, I don't hate you."_ He even shook his head to emphasize it. Then… out came the words that he never thought he would say. _"But I want an answer from you."_ He knew Hikari wouldn't be able to understand him in his current condition, but he had a feeling that she would get his meaning by heart.

"_Do you want me to love you back… or… Do you want me to act like nothing happened?"_

Hikari understood him. She blinked, not knowing what to say. "I-I don't know."

"_That's not an answer, Troublesome Girl."_

"I want him to…" She murmured the rest to herself. Shinji leaned in to make her say it louder. "I w-want him t-to…" She dug her face into her hands. "I-I would love it if he loved me back. But I want him to decide his feelings for me." Hikari sighed, hugging herself. "It's his choice. If he wants to love me back, I would be so happy. If he wanted to act like nothing happen, then I'd respect his decision. I would go along with it without hesitation."

"_Is that all?"_ Shinji saw her nod. He sighed. _Happiness or No Awkward Troubles…_ he thought. In anyone's case, they would choose making that person happy. But for him, he didn't want to cause any awkward situations or sadness for Hikari. Even though he's a cold person, he's still honest (in a harsh way) and knows how to care deep inside.

Hikari giggled, blushing. "Shinji loving me back, huh?" Shinji glanced at her. She had such glistening eyes. "I can tell that he's not very good with romance." She broke into a fit of giggles, causing the boy's brows to twitch.

"_That's not funny, idiot."_ He stood back up and got out of the water. He curled up near Hikari until they left for dinner.

~.~.~

Today was the day! It was finally time for Jun and Hikari to decide on their Isshu starter Pokémon! However, the problem was Hikari's decision to become a Pokémon Trainer for this journey only.

They arrived to Dr. Araragi's lab.

"Hello!" A woman with chestnut brown hair and turquoise eyes approached them. She had red earrings and her hair was styled high. "Are you the two trainers that Dr. Okido told me about?" She looked at a note. "Let's see… You are Jun and Hikari sent by Reiji-San, right?"

Hikari nodded. "Yes, Dr. Araragi. You know Reiji-San?"

"Oh, just a bit," she replied. "Anyways, he told me that you two were going to get your starter Pokémon, so I got them prepared." She snapped her fingers and an assistant came in with a tray of three PokéBalls. "There are three types of Pokémon: Grass, Water, and Fire. First off…"

She grabbed the first PokéBall and threw it in the air. A green reptilian Pokémon came out. It had a creamy yellow underside, a yellow stripe running down his back and tail, yellow markings around its eyes, and yellow, curved structures protruding from its shoulders and bending backwards. A large, palmate leaf with three prongs was at the end of its tail.

"This is Tsutarja, the Grass type Pokémon. It's a male."

Dr. Araragi held out the second one. Out came the Water type Pokémon. It was a sea otter-like Pokémon and its body was dark blue, light blue, and white. It had triangular dark blue ears, a dark orange nose, speckles on its cheeks, and light blue bubble-esque features composing a "collar" on its neck. It also had a yellow shell at the center of its torso and had a dark blue plank-shaped tail.

"This is Mijumaru, the Water type Pokémon. It's a female."

She took out the last PokéBall. A pig-like Pokémon appeared. It was primarily orange along with black, yellow, and yellow colors on its body. It had a pig-like, ruddy-pink nose, a thick yellow stripe over its snout, long and oblong black ears that were positioned closely together, and a coiled tail topped with a ruddy-red bauble-like adornment.

"This is Pokabu, the Fire type Pokémon. It's also a female."

The three Pokémon greeted Jun and Hikari, as the two greeted back.

"These three are the starter Pokémon in Isshu. Take your time to choose, okay?" Dr. Araragi looked at the clock and quietly gasped. "Oh my, I have something to take care of. Don't make a mess, you three!" She rushed out of the room, leaving Jun and Hikari to choose.

Hikari crossed her arms, examining the three starter Pokémon intensely. "Hmmm… Which Pokémon do you plan to get, Jun?"

Jun was poking his forehead in deep thought. "I don't know. They all look great, so I can't really choose right now…"

Shinji approached the three Pokémon. But his towering height and cold demeanor was frightening Mijumaru and Pokabu. Tsutarja kept its cool demeanor and held its hand up as a wave. _"Hey, it's not like I'm going to eat you or anything."_ He looked at Tsutarja. _"Hn, you're not that bad."_ He smirked. He looked at Hikari, who was still thinking about which Pokémon she should get.

"I've decided!" Jun and Hikari announced at the same time. "I choose…"

~.~.~

_A/N: My reason for this cliffhanger is because I don't know which Pokémon I should give them. xDD But you can help me! There is a poll on my profile asking which starter Pokémon I should give Jun and Hikari._

_Please do not choose Mijumaru for both of them, because they already have a water type Pokémon each. Choose one Pokémon for each. No choosing two Pokémon for one person._

_I'll give you my reasons to choose them after this one little question: __**Do you think Hikari should become a Pokémon Trainer?**_

_**Reasons for Jun:**_

_Tsutarja – I don't know for him. ^^" Tsutarja doesn't really match with Jun. But you can make up your own reasons and choose Tsutarja if you want._

_Mijumaru – Mijumaru is a water type, but I think her proud(ish) personality fits Jun. xDD_

_Pokabu – Pokabu is pretty wild and so is Jun. I think they would go well together._

_**Reasons for Hikari:**_

_Tsutarja – Well, it's not really related to Hikari. Shinji doesn't seem like he'll mind if Hikari chooses Tsutarja. Tsutarja is smart and has a cool demeanor, so he's pretty much like Shinji. xDD_

_Mijumaru – Again, she is a water type. I don't think Hikari should get her though. One proud Water Pokémon is enough. (If you don't get it, that Water Pokémon is Pochama.)_

_Pokabu – She can be hot-tempered, just like Hikari would be when she gets mad by Shinji._


	9. New Starter Pokemon!

_A/N: Want to know the winners of Hikari and Jun's New Starter Pokémon? You'll see in the beginning of this chapter! :3_

_Note: Katakuri Palace/Arrowroot Palace, Joi-San/Nurse Joy_

**Mystique****  
CH ****9****:**** New Starter Pokémon **

"I choose…"

"Tsutarja!" Hikari pointed at the Grass-Type Pokémon.

"Pokabu!" Jun pointed at the Fire-Type Pokémon.

The two chosen Pokémon looked up at their new masters. Tsutarja simply shrugged, satisfied. Pokabu was more than just satisfied. However, Mijumaru was depressed that she was not chosen. She was the only Pokémon left now after all.

"Is that so?" the assistant asked. "Then, I'll go get Professor Araragi." He disappeared into the hallways to get the professor.

Jun turned to the blunette. "So why'd you choose Tsutarja?"

"It's just that I never had a grass-type Pokémon before." Hikari stuck her tongue out playfully. "Besides, Luxio doesn't seem like he doesn't like Tsutarja."

Shinji rolled his eyes. Pochama and he walked over to Tsutarja and examined him. _"Huh, I guess you won't see any Kantou, Jouto, Houen, and Shinou Pokémon here."_

Tsutarja nodded. _"Yeah. We have never seen Pokémon from other regions, unless it's the ones that Professor Araragi researches with Professor Okido."_ He placed his hands on his body. He glanced at Pokabu, who was talking with Jun. _"Where are you from?"_

"_Shinou_." Shinji hesitated to tell him the truth. He shook his head, deciding he shouldn't tell Tsutarja. _"I'm Luxio, an Electric-Type."_

"_I'm Pochama, a Water-Type! I'm Hikari-Chan's first Pokémon and her starter Pokémon from Shinou!"_

"_Nice to meet you, Luxio and Pochama."_ Tsutarja smiled coolly. _"Hope we can get along."_

Shinji smirked. _"Maybe."_

Pochama held out a flipper. _"Of course!"_

Meanwhile, Jun was introducing himself to his new Starter Pokémon. "Hey, Pokabu! I'm Jun and this…" He released Emperte from his PokéBall. "… is Emperte, my starter Pokémon from Shinou!"

"_Hi, Jun! Hi, Emperte!"_ Pokabu greeted back. _"I hope we can be great friends from now on!"_ Emperte extended out a flipper and she shook it with her tail. _"So, Emperte, how is training with Jun?"_

"_Well, Jun's a great trainer,"_ Emperte replied. _"His training might be a bit difficult to endure, but you'll get the hang of it."_ He smiled at his new friend.

The blonde noticed Professor Araragi coming back from the lab. "Ah, Hikari! She's back!"

Professor Araragi came rushing in. "Whew, sorry about the wait! Have you chosen your Pokémon?" As the two nodded, she reached for the two PokéDex. "Here are your PokéDex for the Isshu region. Why don't you try scanning your starters?" She gave Hikari a magenta one, while Jun received a red one.

Hikari clicked a button and it slid up, showing the top screen. Tsutarja appeared on the top.

_Tsutarja, the Grass Snake Pokémon. It appears in the rarest tall grass. When it spins its tail, it can throw a lot of energy._

"Wow, this is so cool!" She recalled the last line. "Hey, that could be of some use later for attacks." She looked at the lower screen, displaying his special ability, moves, and etc. "So Tsutarja knows… Vine Whip, Grass Mixer, and Leer."

"My turn! My turn!" Jun clicked the same button and Pokabu appeared on the top screen.

_Pokabu, the Fire Pig Pokémon. It can blow fire out its nostrils, but when it's not feeling well, it blows out sooty smoke instead._

Jun's orange eyes gleamed with joy. "Oh man, oh man, oh man! This is such an awesome PokéDex!" He jumped around in excitement.

"You know, that last line can help you know when Pokabu is sick, Jun!" Hikari teased. "You better notice it!"

"Bah, shut up!" He also checked the lower screen for her moves. "Pokabu knows Ember, Flamethrower, and Tail Whip."

Professor Araragi chuckled. "Well, if you have any questions, ask away!"

Hikari's eyes lit up. "Oh! Professor Araragi, does Isshu have Pokémon Contests?"

"Pokémon Contests?" She shook her head. "Sadly, we don't." Her eyes suddenly lit up in realization. "But we do have events called Pokémon Musicals!"

The blunette blinked in curiosity. "Pokémon Musicals?"

"Yes." Professor Araragi tapped her lower lip with her finger. "It's similar to Pokémon Contests, especially like the ones in Shinou since you dress your Pokémon up. But the difference is that you dance in the competition round instead of battling."

Hikari nodded in comprehension. She crouched down to Tsutarja. "Do you want to participate in Pokémon Musicals with me?"

"_Hn, why not?"_ Tsutarja crossed his arms, smirking. _"Sounds interesting."_

"Awesome! I should tell Togekiss about this later!" She suddenly gasped. "Arceus! I should tell Salvia-Hime*! Professor Araragi, may I please use your video phone? I need to make a few calls."

"Go ahead. The video phone is over there by the corner."

"Thank you!" Tsutarja, Pochama, and Shinji followed Hikari to the video phone. She dialed in the number to Katakuri Palace. Salvia's servant, Freesia, appeared on the screen. "Ah! Freesia-San, is Salvia-Hime there?"

"_Ah! Hikari-San! Long time no see, isn't it?"_ Freesia greeted. _"Hold on a minute. I'll go get her right now."_ She disappeared from the screen.

Shinji hopped on the desk, wondering who this Salvia-Hime was. _"So… who is she?"_

Hikari smiled. "Salvia-Hime is the Hime of Katakuri Town's Katakuri Palace. She's the one who gave me Togekiss."

"_Uh… huh…"_

"_Hikari-San?"_ A familiar voice – in Hikari's case – called out from beyond the screen. Then, the same blue-haired princess appeared. _"Hikari-San, it's been such a long time!"_

Shinji fell over (comically). _"They look the same!"_

"_I saw your Grand Festival battle, Hikari-San. You were absolutely amazing with Togekiss and Pochama!" _Salvia giggled. _"So what was my presence needed for, Hikari-San?"_

Hikari beamed. "I'm in Isshu with your Togekiss! Not only that, Isshu has an event called Pokémon Musicals!" Her eyes gleamed with excitement. "It's similar to Pokémon Contests, but instead of battling, you dance!"

Salvia's eyes lit up in interest. _"Oh my… You dance instead of battling?"_

"Yeah! I think it's great!" Hikari glanced at Tsutarja, who also hopped onto the desk. "Is it okay if Togekiss can perform in Pokémon Musicals?"

"_Pokémon Musicals, right?"_ Hikari nodded. _"Of course! I think it's perfect for dear Togekiss!"_ Salvia smiled approval and joy. _"I'll be watching you when you perform, Hikari-San!"_ She then noticed Tsutarja. _"Oh? That is such a peculiar Pokémon. I've never seen it before."_

"Oh!" Hikari ushered Tsutarja to the front of the screen. "Tsutarja, this is Salvia-Hime from Shinou. Salvia-Hime, this is Tsutarja, my starter Grass-Type Pokémon for Isshu."

Tsutarja gave the princess a bow. _"It is an honor to meet you, Salvia-Hime."_

Salvia curtsied. _"It's nice to meet you too, Tsutarja."_ She then noticed the purple-streaked Luxio. _"Oh my! You caught a Luxio!"_

Hikari turned to Shinji, smiling. "Actually, he isn't my Luxio, Salvia-Hime." She rubbed the back of her head. "Luxio belongs to a friend of mine, and I'm traveling around Isshu until I find him."

"_Oh, is that so? Well, I wish you good luck in finding him!"_ Salvia curtsied to Shinji. _"It's a pleasure to meet you, Luxio."_

Shinji bowed his head. _"It's very nice to meet you, Salvia-Hime."_ He never knew that there was a princess in Shinou…

"_Salvia-Hime, your appointment with the ambassador of Houen is approaching!"_

"_Oh, is that so?"_ Salvia slightly exhaled and turned to Hikari again. _"Well, I hope to see you and your Pokémon in the Pokémon Musicals! Good-bye, Hikari-San!"_ With that, the video phone was turned off.

Hikari jumped up and down, excited. "Yes! I can't wait!" She tapped her lower lip. "And I should call my mom…"

She dialed the number to her house and Ayako appeared on the screen.

"_Hikari! What perfect timing!"_ Ayako exclaimed. _"Paris said it's quite of a sudden and early notice, but she said that the next Yosuga Collection will be next week!"_

"What? Next week?" Hikari's jaw hung down. She took a deep breath. "Okay, calm down, Hikari…" She rubbed her head. "Well… is it okay if I can send Mimirol to you right now?"

Ayako nodded. _"I think that is the best choice. You already know Mimirol's measurements, right?"_

"Yes, mom. I know." She took out Mimirol's PokéBall and inserted it into the capsule beside the video screen. She pressed a button and the PokéBall disappeared in a flash. "Did you get her, mom?"

Ayako showed the PokéBall. _"I got her, Hikari. Be sure to send me the design, okay?"_

Hikari nodded and turned off the video phone. Shinji suddenly appeared in her head. The possibilities that he's in Isshu was something that she considered most likely true. She hadn't heard from him since that morning of the Suzuran Conference, but she had a feeling that he was close.

Alas, she did not know that Shinji was beside her this whole time…

Professor Araragi noticed Hikari coming back from the video phone. "Are you done with your calls?"

"Yes, Professor Araragi. Thank you for letting me use the video phone." Hikari bowed. She looked back up with a look of hesitation. "Um… Do you mind if I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"Did… someone named Shinji pass by here?"

Shinji looked up the blunette, surprised by her sudden question.

Professor Araragi blinked. "Shinji, you say?" She glanced at Luxio for a split second before closing her eyes in remembrance. "Shinji as in Reiji-Kun's little brother, right?"

Hikari nodded. "Yes! It's him! Have you seen him here?"

"Yes, I did." She frowned, sighing. "But he didn't get a starter Pokémon. Just his PokéDex."

"Just his PokéDex?" Jun exclaimed. "That is _so_ not like Shinji! I know that guy!"

The professor sweatdropped, rubbing her head. "I'm not sure whether he just wanted to travel around Isshu or just visit because Reiji-Kun requested him to."

Shinji's jaw hung down in shock. _"WHAT? I did what?"_ He was speechless. What the Shinou did she mean by that?

"Is that so…?" Hikari scratched her head. "So he's here in Isshu, right?"

"That's right." Professor Araragi looked at Shinji. "Ah, this must be the Luxio that Reiji-Kun was talking about." She crouched down to Shinji's level. "Hello, Luxio. Reiji-Kun told me about you."

"_Aniki did, did he…?"_ He decided to kill Reiji first when he becomes human again.

Hikari exhaled, taking all the information in. "Thank you, Professor Araragi! We'll be on our way now."

"Are you kidding?" Jun crossed his arms. "I demand to know about this! Why didn't Shinji-?" Hikari groaned, dragging Jun out of Professor Araragi's lab. "Hey! Let go of me!" She rolled her eyes and hurried down the stairs. "Gah, damn it!"

"Shut up, Jun!"

They were soon on their way to Sanyou City, where the first gym was located. Tsutarja and Pokabu returned to their PokéBalls, Pochama also returned to hers, and Shinji simply followed them. He was surprised at how his feet weren't getting tired from all the walking.

"How long is it going to take for us to get to Sanyou City?"

Hikari blinked. "Wow, Jun…" She took out her PokéDex. "I think that was the first time you asked me a question without yelling at me." She switched to the map feature and located them on the map. "Judging by the PokéDex's estimates… We'll be there in about two nights." When Jun was about to say something she stopped him. "We are _not_ going to travel in the night."

"Hmph."

"We're going to stop at Karakusa Town for today, okay?"

Jun pouted. "Fine."

~.~.~

"… I'm getting hungry."

Hikari agreed, patting her stomach. They took a break on a small grassy hill beside the road. Down the hill was a grassy field.

"You're lucky that I bought some food before we went." She slung her new sky blue bag to the front and took out a bentou* and a wrapped package. "Here…" She handed Jun the bentou. "Kurotsugu-San told me that you need a lot of energy." She then took out Pokémon Food and many bowls. _I'm so relieved that Takeshi gave me these…_

Jun laughed. "Ha! Good ol' dad!" He took out Emperte and Pokabu's PokéBall and threw it in the air. They appeared in a flash of white light. "Lunch time, Emperte and Pokabu!" He then took the bentou and started devouring it down.

"It's lunch time, everyone!" Pochama, Tsutarja, and Togekiss came out. She saw Jun eating his lunch. "You sure have a big stomach…" She unwrapped the package and it revealed a row of onigiri*. She took a bite of an onigiri.

The Pokémon started eating. Shinji rested underneath the shade of the trees. He felt a shadow looming over him and he saw Hikari. _"What?"_

"Have an onigiri, Luxio." Hikari held one out. "You must be hungry after walking three hours straight." She laughed nervously. "I don't have an extra bowl, so I couldn't get your lunch… Sorry."

This time, he didn't hesitate. He took the onigiri in his mouth and started eating it.

Hikari giggled and sat next to him. She smiled, taking another bite of her onigiri. "I wonder where the Pokémon Musicals take place." She took another bite and thought of Togekiss. "Let's see… Togekiss is very graceful. Pochama is… well… unpredictable. Tsutarja seems to have a cool personality, just like you Luxio."

"_Hn."_ He glanced at Tsutarja, who was happily eating his lunch. _"I might teach him a few things."_ He already figured that the Grass Snake Pokémon was smart, too. Who knows? They might get along well.

Jun finished his bentou and placed it beside him. "Ah! That filled me up!" He held up a determined fist. "Alright! I'm full with energy right now! Emperte! Pokabu!" His two Pokémon looked at him. "When you're done with lunch, we're gonna go through some serious training!"

"We'll also train after cleaning, okay?" Hikari called to her Pokémon. They nodded in agreement. "How about you, Luxio? Do you want to train with us?"

"_Sure."_

When everyone was done with lunch, Hikari cleaned the bowls and burned the trash until it turned to dust. She packed the food and bowls in her bag. "Okay! Let's get to training!"

Jun turned to Hikari. "Hey, how about we battle with Pokabu and Tsutarja?"

"Good idea! Wanna try it, Tsutarja?"

"_I'm ready."_ He smirked at Pokabu. _"You ready, Pokabu?"_

Pokabu blew fire out of her nostrils. _"I'm more than ready!"_

"May the best trainer win." Jun and Hikari nodded to each other in acknowledgement and moved to the field.

Hikari turned on her coin application. "Heads or Tails?"

"Hmmm… Tails!"

She tapped the Pokétch, flipping the coin. The result was heads. "Yes! I go first!"

"Damn it!" Jun stomped on the ground, crossing his arms. "Whatever! Go already!"

Hikari rolled her eyes, as Tsutarja got into position. "Use Leer, Tsutarja!" The Grass Pokémon's eyes glowed red as he glared at Pokabu.

The Fire Pokémon winced, noticing how frightening her opponent looked. But she managed to stand firm.

Jun pointed at Tsutarja. "Pokabu, use Ember!" She leapt in the air, her nose glowing as a cloud of ember engulfed her. "Shoot!" Pokabu fired a beam of ember at the opponent.

"Dodge it!" Tsutarja easily evaded the attack. "Use Vine Whip!" A small yellow flash shined from the sides of Tsutarja's neck. Then, two green vines extended from his neck and started attacking Pokabu.

"Keep dodging them!"

As Pokabu dodged, Tsutarja's vines continued to slap the air. However, Pokabu slightly staggered when she bumped her foot against a pebble. The vines began to slap her down.

"Pokabu!" Jun knew she was able to withstand it though. "Counter it with your tail!" Pokabu wheeled around and counterattacked by whipping the vines away with her tail. "Flip and use Flamethrower!"

"Use Grass Mixer!"

Pokabu flipped in the air and flames began to appear in her mouth. Tsutarja turned upside down and swished her tail, whipping up a tornado of glowing leaves. It picked up Pokabu with the tornado, throwing her up to the top. However, she unleashed her Flamethrower before being thrown down to the ground.

The flames burned the leaves and they showered Tsutarja and Pokabu. But Tsutarja, being the grass type, was weak to fire.

"Pochama, use Bubblebeam on the leaves!"

"_Bubblebeam!"_ A stream of bubbles extinguished the fire and ashes rained down.

"Aw, come on!" Jun stomped his foot. "Why'd you stop the battle? It was getting to the good part!"

Hikari rolled her eyes. "I think that's enough battling for Pokabu and Tsutarja." She crossed her arms, sighing. "Besides, we need to train them separately too."

Jun sighed. "Fine… Let's go, Pokabu!"

"_Coming, Jun!"_ She ran back to Jun, following him to another space in the field. They started training, while Hikari explained to Togekiss about the Pokémon Musical situation.

"So that's why I think we should try Pokémon Musicals. Salvia-Hime even approved." Hikari smiled. "What do you think, Togekiss?"

Togekiss seemed excited. _"I think it's a great idea!"_ She nodded. _"Dancing seems fun!"_

Hikari hugged her, giggling. "I know you're gonna be a _great_ dancer!" She suddenly looked worried, tapping her lower lip. "But I wonder what kind of songs they play… I wish I could know…"

While the blunette was talking to Togekiss and Pochama about dance routines, Shinji and Tsutarja were engaged in a conversation.

"_Hey, I was wondering about something for quite a while since we met,"_ Tsutarja murmured. _"I noticed that Hikari has two bags on her. Does she carry a lot of stuff?"_

"_Actually, that's m-"_ He stopped, sweatdropping. _"That's Shinji's bag. She's carrying it for him."_

Tsutarja tilted his head. _"Who's Shinji?"_

"_Shinji… is a Pokémon trainer…"_ He slightly hung his head, hesitating. _"… He's someone she cares about."_ He scratched the back of his head with his tail, _slightly_ embarrassed.

"_Hikari-Chan likes him, huh?"_

Shinji's brow twitched in uneasiness.

Tsutarja smiled slyly. _"Are you maybe… jealous?"_

"_I'm _not_ jealous."_ His tone was dripping with venom. He bared his teeth as he growled in annoyance.

"_Okay, okay…"_ Tsutarja sweatdropped. _"I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything offensive."_

The corner of Shinji's mouth twitched. _"No… Sorry I did that…"_ He sighed. _"I know you didn't mean anything offensive."_

Tsutarja placed his hands on his hips, smiling. _"It's okay."_ He suddenly recalled something before Hikari and Jun arrived to Professor Araragi's lab. _"Luxio… I'm just asking a question out of curiosity, but… are you possibly…"_ he paused, _"Shinji?"_

Shinji's eyes widened. _"What?"_

"_It's just that before Hikari-Chan and Jun came, Reiji-San called Professor Araragi three weeks ago,"_ he explained. _"Although we were eating, I heard Reiji-San mention something about a Luxio and a person named Shinji."_ Tsutarja scratched his head, trying to remember the conversation. _"He said that Shinji was Luxio."_

Shinji's jaw was hanging down in shock. _"He told her that?"_ He recalled that time when Professor Araragi glanced at him. _So that's why she looked at me,_ he thought.

Tsutarja raised a brow. _"So you are Shinji, aren't you?"_

Groaning in frustration, he hesitantly nodded. _"It would be best if you didn't tell anyone. If you do…"_ He leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. _"… you're going to be in for the torture of your life."_

The Grass Pokémon nodded frantically. _"Yes, sir."_

"_Hn."_

Hikari turned to Shinji and Tsutarja. "Hey, you two! Let's start training!"

"_Coming."_ The two hurried over to Hikari, who was getting ready to do some serious training.

~.~.~

"Hey, look!" Jun pointed to a herd of Pokémon. They were fawn-like Pokémon, most resembling a fallow deer. The upper side of the body was pink, rimmed and dappled with yellow patterns, and the underside was a light beige shade. There was a yellow floral tuft on their head. The tips of their limbs were black and their pink tails were small.

Hikari took out her PokéDex and pointed it at the herd.

_Shikijika, the Seasonal Pokémon. Shikijika's coat change color with the season. _

"Huh, a Shikijika." She looked at some more information on her PokéDex. "They're pink when it's Spring; Green when it's Summer; Orange when it's Autumn; Brown when it's Winter." She was amazed. "Wow, I would love to have a Pokémon like that!"

Jun took out a PokéBall and enlarged it. "Too bad, Hikari! I'm catching one first!"

Unfortunately, one of the Shikijika sensed danger among one of the two. _"Run!"_ The herd looked up and pranced away.

"Hey! Where do you think you're going?" The blonde was about to chase them, but Hikari held him back. "Let go of me!"

"You scared the Shikijika, Jun!" Hikari exclaimed. "There's no way of catching them once they've run away!" She released him when he settled down. "Look, there are other Pokémon to catch and we'll probably see a lot of Shikijika on our journey. Now, let's go!"

Jun firmly shook his head and sat on the road. "I'm not moving until I catch a Shikijika!"

Hikari's brow twitched. "Luxio… Do you think you can get him to move with Discharge?"

Shinji looked at the blonde, who didn't budge at the threat. He shook his head. _"But I got an idea…"_ He walked to Jun, grabbed his jacket, and dragged him over to her. Despite the protests and kicking, he dragged him through the road as they walked.

"Okay, fine! I'll walk, I'll walk!" Jun exclaimed. Shinji let him go and they continued on through the forest. "Sheesh…"

It was an hour until they finally arrived to Karakusa Town. It was quite big and colorful. Hikari and Jun viewed the town from on top of a hill, taking in the view from afar. Then, they went down the hill and entered the town.

"Too bad it's not Sanyou City, huh?"

Hikari rolled her eyes. "I'll see if there's any room in the Pokémon Center. What do you plan to do?"

"I guess I'll just go with you. I'm exhausted."

"Okay then." They went in the Pokémon Center and checked themselves a room. After they put their bags in their rooms, they went back out. "Um, Joi-San? Do you maybe have any information on Pokémon Musicals?"

Joi looked up, her face lighting up. "Oh, are you planning to enter Pokémon Musicals?"

Hikari nodded. "Yes. So do you maybe know anything?"

"Of course!" She then noticed a bored Jun. "Oh, may I help you?"

Jun leaned on the counter, his eyes becoming eager. "Joi-San, are there any places where you can battle all you want or something?"

"Yes! There is a Battle Club nearby here, so you can go there and battle other trainers."

"Sweet!" Jun ran out the Pokémon Center to find the Battle Club as soon as possible.

Hikari and Shinji sweatdropped. She turned back to Joi. "So what were you going to say, Joi-San?"

Joi smiled. "Well, if you already know the basics, then you're good to go. All you need is to make it through the appeal round with the appearance. Then, for the competition round, your Pokémon has to dance. You can choose the song you can dance to, so you don't need to worry about the music." She pointed to a corner of the Pokémon Center, where the TV was. "I think a Pokémon Musical is happening right now."

Without a moment of hesitation, she skidded to the TV and watched the Pokémon Musical. She brought out Pochama and they watched.

"_Now for the final contestant of the appeal round, let's give a big hand to Mana!"_

A female contestant with a cutely dressed cotton-like Pokémon stepped onto the stage. She was also dressed very cutely. _"Monmen, create a vortex of Cotton Spore!"_ As the Pokémon spun around, fluffy cotton began to form into a vortex. _"Now, use Stun Spore!"_ Then, shining yellow powder coated the cotton balls. _"Finally, shoot Energy Ball at the tail!"_ Monmen shot an Energy Ball at the tail of the vortex and it exploded into a shower of yellow, white, green, and blue sparkles.

The audience burst into applause and cheered for the last contestant.

The curtains closed and the announcer came on screen. _"Well, we will be on break while the judges make their decisions for the competition round!"_ With that, the show turned to commercials.

Hikari exhaled. "That was an amazing performance…" She crossed her arms, thinking of her routines. "I should start improving on our performance routines…"

Shinji rolled his eyes. _She's already working on them…?_ He sighed, shaking his head.

After a few more commercials, the Pokémon Musical came back on. The screen displayed the contestants that made it to the next round. That last contestant, Mana, made it.

"_Now, let us start the competition round! The contestants will be shuffled to a dancing battle! Let us see who will be the Best Dancer!"_ The screen showed the contestants that made it and shuffled them into a battle. _"Now, let the dancing begin!"_

With that, the dance round finally started. There were two contestants and they each had to dance to a song of their choice. The judges judged them by the song choice to their appearance. Most of the points were for how well they danced to their song. The Pokémon combined their moves to add more effects to their dance.

In the end, it was Mana and a male contestant who were the last two contestants. Their dance battle was both very good, but the winner was Mana and her Monmen. They received a pendant with a symbol on it. Hikari couldn't see it clearly. _"Congratulations to Mana and her Monmen!"_ The audience burst into applause and the show ended.

Pochama clapped, excited already. _"Wow, that was such an amazing performance! I can't wait until we get to attend the Pokémon Musicals!"_ She jumped up and down, giggling.

Shinji sighed. _"She better not drag me in that thing… If she does, I am going to torture her for the rest of this journey."_ He grabbed the keys out of Hikari's bag and returned to their room. He hopped on the bed and fell asleep.

~.~.~

This was going to be the start of a new adventure – a new beginning. It has many surprises in store for them.

Who knows what they can be?

~.~.~

_Asterisks*_

_**Salvia-Hime**__ – The __Hime__ part of her name is how you say 'Princess [Name]'. _

_**Bentou**__ – Yes, this is a boxed lunch. In Japan, this is a common thing to bring to school. They can have very cute designs too! 8D If there's a Japanese-like area in your area, please visit there when you have the chance! If you live in Los Angeles, go downtown and head to Little Tokyo. It's like a Japanese district. :3_

_**Onigiri**__ – They're rice balls. Another common food in Japan. You would see this in a few of the Pokémon Episodes, but apparently, some certain English dubbing companies decided to be __**stupid**__ and Americanize them. I mean, seriously? They replaced a rice ball with a freaking (Subway, Eat Fresh! xD) sandwiches! =_=" (No offense!) _

_A/N: Okay, so this concludes the New Starter Pokémon part. The rest will be gym battles and Pokémon Musicals! 8D [This is an unedited version. Please note me of any mistakes you found.]_

_If you're wondering why I didn't mention Pokémon Musicals in the previous chapter, it was because half the people who answered/PM-ed me about Hikari being a trainer told me she should do Pokémon Musicals too. Actually… half the answers were Hikari being a trainer and half being her a Pokémon Musical contestant. xDDD_

_Thank you for the people who __**VOTED ON THE POLL**__ that I mentioned in the previous chapter. Don't worry; I counted the people who voted for the starter Pokémon in their reviews though. ^^ However, Tsutarja for Hikari and Pokabu for Jun completely overthrew the other votes. xD _

_(Just… next time, please thoroughly read my author's note, no matter how long it is. It sometimes annoys me when people doesn't read it and do something else instead. ^^")_


	10. Two in One

_A/N: Don't get the title? You'll find out soon! ^^ Oh, and you know what…? I'm going to change Pochama's gender in this story… Instead of Pochama being a girl in this story, Pochama will be a guy. (What? He's actually a guy in the anime! xD)_

_Note: Sumomo/Maylene, Charm Up!/Spotlight!, Baoppu/Pansear, Eipam/Aipom, Hiyappu/Panpour, Naoshi/Nando_

**Mystique****  
CH ****10****:**** Two in One**

They set out from their current location and continued their way to Sanyou City. They had to rest another night because of a serious battle Jun got into that day. It was early in the morning – around seven AM – when they left the Pokémon Center. Jun, Hikari, Shinji, and the other Pokémon already ate breakfast before leaving. Of course, Hikari complained about Jun's tendency to leave places early in the morning.

However, no one had expected a shocking offer for the blunette… except her starter Pokémon, Pochama, and Shinji.

~.~.~

"Pochama, use Whirlpool on Shikijika!" Hikari commanded. A large whirlpool began to form from Pochama's beak and she threw it at the wild Pokémon before her. Shikijika nearly drowned in the whirlpool and fell on the ground. It attempted to get up, but it was too weak to support itself. "PokéBall, go!" Hikari threw a PokéBall at the wild Shikijika and anticipated the moment of capture.

The PokéBall wiggled back and forth, the button in the middle blinking red. Then, the PokéBall stopped wiggling and the button stopped blinking.

Hikari's eyes widened in joy. "Alright! I caught a Shikijika!" She smirked at Jun. "See? I told you I'd get it first!"

The blonde crossed his arms and jerked his head away. "What did you have that I didn't to capture one?" he scoffed.

"Let's see…" Hikari sarcastically began to think, tapping her finger on her chin. "I am quieter and have less animosity than you. Plus, I actually got a Shikijika to fight me on its own will." She scanned her PokéBall under her PokéDex. "It is a female Shikijika and it knows Tackle, Camouflage, and Aromatherapy."

Shinji watched in boredom. _"You would actually keep a Pokémon with those weak moves?"_ He sighed, knowing it was hopeless to pass on the message. _"When will I evolve again…?"_ he thought out loud. Today was one of those days he sulked about him reverting back to his human form. He groaned for the fifth time this morning.

Pochama puffed out his cheeks, frustrated. _"Can you stop groaning already? It's already enough to hear Jun mutter incoherent words!"_

"… _Like I care, you penguin…"_ he murmured.

The Penguin Pokémon was on the verge of ambushing Shinji with a barrage of bubbles, but he suppressed that urge as much as he can. _"You are lucky that I'm in a good mood because we made a new friend!"_ He stomped back to Hikari, who let out Shikijika to talk to her for a while.

Jun sighed and sat next to Shinji. "Sometimes, I really don't get how you can deal with her, Luxio."

Hikari returned Shikijika to her PokéBall and picked up Pochama. "Let's go, Jun. You said you wanted to get to Sanyou Gym as soon as possible, right?"

"Yeah, I'm coming…"

"Hey! Please wait a minute!" A voice called out to them. Hikari and Jun turned around to see a boy waving towards them. He was a black-haired boy with red-framed glasses. He ran over to them, slightly gasping for breath. "Are you Hikari-San?" he asked, pointing to the blunette.

"Um… Yes. Who are you?"

The boy readjusted his glasses, blushing out of embarrassment. "Sorry for my lack of manners…" He slightly laughed nervously as he extended out a hand. "My name is Cheren. I just began as a Pokémon Trainer yesterday."

Hikari shook his hand. "I'm Hikari, a Pokémon Coordinator. I'm from Futaba Town from Shinou."

Jun waved. "Yo, my name's Jun, a Pokémon Trainer. I'm from the same region and town as her."

Cheren's eyes grew wide in curiosity as he took a look at Pochama and Shinji. "Wow, I have never seen these Pokémon in Isshu before. Are they both from the Shinou region?"

The blunette nodded. "Yeah. Pochama's my starter Pokémon, but Luxio…" she trailed off, glancing at Shinji. "Luxio isn't mine. He's my friend's Pokémon. I'm just taking care of him, his Dodaitose, and his bag."

"Oh!" Cheren exclaimed. "Excuse me, I forgot about my purpose here." He shifted his bag to his arms, taking out two shining cases. "Professor Araragi requested me to give you these badge cases." One was a dark blue and the other was a sky blue color.

The blonde took it instantly. "Sweet! It's my badge case!" He opened it to see eight empty spots. "This is great!" He then saw the other badge case. "But why does Hikari get one?"

Hikari blinked. "I'm… not a Pokémon Trainer, though."

Cheren tilted his head in slight confusion. "Well, Professor Araragi told me to give this to you anyways." He scratched his head, as if trying to remember something. "Oh yeah! She told me to tell you that she left a note in your badge case."

On cue, she opened the case and found a piece of paper in it. She unfolded it and read to herself.

_To Hikari_

_It's just a suggestion, but why don't consider being a Pokémon Trainer too? You don't need to become one, if you don't want. Just take this badge case as a request from Reiji-Kun._

_From Professor Araragi_

"A request from Reiji-San?" Hikari repeated. She blinked in slight surprise and awkwardness. "Err… well…" She tucked it in her bag and smiled. "Thanks, Cheren. I'll think about it."

Shinji's eye twitched at his brother's name. He somehow had a feeling that whatever Reiji planned with this badge case will become successful. _"Ugh…"_ Oh, how he wanted to snatch that badge case and throw it into quicksand.

"So are you headed to Sanyou Gym, Cheren?" Jun asked. He held up a determined fist. "If you are, then let's watch each other's battles!"

Cheren smirked, readjusting his glasses. "Well, since we are both Pokémon Trainers… that would make us rivals. Of course, if Hikari-San decides to become a Pokémon Trainer too, then all three of us would be rivals." He pushed his glasses to the bridge of his nose. "And we might battle each other in the Isshu League."

Before they knew it, Cheren had joined their trip to Sanyou Gym. He hasn't mentioned or asked anything about traveling with them around Isshu.

Shinji walked beside Hikari, his eyes glued to the bag that contained her perhaps-to-be-badge-case. If she decided not to become a Trainer, he would probably be a little relieved. However, if she did decide to become one, he would be a little uncertain.

_After all, this troublesome girl probably doesn't even know how to handle gym battles,_ he thought. Oh boy, was he wrong…

"Hikari-San, have you ever experienced a gym battle before?" Cheren asked.

"Yup!" she replied, happily. "It was only once, though."

Shinji jerked his head to the blunette, a slightly shocked expression on his face. _"What? Who did you have a gym battle with?"_

Jun's jaw hung open. "No way! You? A gym battle?" He grabbed her shoulders and shook her. "Tell me which gym it was!"

"It was the Tobari Gym!" she managed to say.

"_That weak gym?"_ Shinji scoffed. _"Tch…"_

The blonde was gaping. "You mean that gym where it's got fighting Pokémon?" His eyes suddenly burst into flames. "Aw man, that must've been awesome! How was it for your first gym battle?"

Hikari smiled, recalling that day when she battled against Sumomo. "It was so exciting! It was like it's your determination that gets flared up, you know?" She then remembered why she battled Sumomo. "I only battled Sumomo-San because she lost confidence as a Gym Leader when she lost to Shinji. I guess… he was too powerful and overwhelming for her."

Shinji recalled the broken expression Sumomo had when he had beaten her so easily. He sighed, shaking his head. _"You've got to be kidding me…"_

"It was a hard-fought battle, but in the end, Sumomo defeated me." Hikari stuck her tongue out playfully. "I really enjoyed the gym battle though. I finally got to experience it in person!"

She began to tell how the battle went and Shinji wondered… What would happen if Hikari became a Pokémon Trainer? What if she was a Trainer in the Suzuran Conference and went against him?

Pochama noticed that Shinji was being a little too quiet. _"Hey, you okay? You're awfully quiet back there."_

"_It's nothing,"_ he replied with an indifferent face. _"I'm just wondering about what would happen if Troublesome Girl became a Pokémon Trainer."_

"_Oh ho ho, _you're_ just wondering?"_ Pochama pointed a flipper at him. _"I'm _extremely_ worried about this! Hikari-Chan's dream is to become the Top Coordinator, yet she is actually considering becoming a Pokémon Trainer!"_ He hopped off of Hikari's arms and walked beside Shinji. _"I'm telling you, that's not right!"_

Shinji rolled his eyes. _"Let her be a Pokémon Trainer _and_ a Pokémon Coordinator."_ He glanced at the shocked Pochama. _"She seems to know the difference between Gym Battles and Contests. Besides, she can use… whatever techniques she uses at Contest… in Gym Battles. It's not like it's not allowed."_

Pochama pouted. _"Yeah… It could be like that too, but she wants to be the Top Coordinator. I'm not sure if I want her to be a Pokémon Master."_ He crossed his flippers, sighing.

"_Tch, it's not like she's going to win against Jun though,"_ he muttered under his breath. _"Troublesome Girl is probably going to lose if she was battling against him."_

"_Excuse me?"_ Pochama raised a brow.

Shinji simply smirked. _"Nothing."_

~.~.~

The three still haven't reached Sanyou City yet. It was one more hour away until their destination. That was… until the blunette started complaining.

Hikari groaned and stopped walking. "I'm so tired! Can we please rest for a bit?" She massaged her sole muscles. "All this walking is killing me!"

Jun sighed, crossing his arms. "I guess we can stop for a few minutes." They rested on the grassy slope, a quiet atmosphere looming over them.

Cheren snapped his fingers. "Why don't you and I have a battle, Jun-San?" He smiled, taking out his PokéBall. "I want to train my Pokémon before I get my Tri Badge." He smirking, knowing that Jun won't deny such a challenge.

"Hell yeah!" the blonde exclaimed. He also took out his PokéBall and enlarged it. "Alright, Pokabu, let's get it on!" He threw his PokéBall to the air and Pokabu came out in a flash of light.

"Come on out, Mijumaru!" In a flash of light, a Mijumaru appeared before Pokabu.

Hikari let out her Pokémon and Dodaitose to let them get some fresh air. "This will be a one-on-one battle! Let the battle begin!"

Togekiss decided to fly around a little to stretch her wings. Pochama sat next to Shikijika and conversed with her. Shinji rested between Dodaitose and Hikari. Tsutarja sat next to Hikari.

Shinji wasn't too interested, but he watched anyways.

"_So, Shinji…"_ Tsutarja started. _"When did you become a Luxio?"_

Dodaitose's eyes slightly widened. _"Tsutarja knows?"_

Shinji sweatdropped. He forgot to tell Dodaitose about this. _"Yes, he knows. He already knew ever since Aniki called Professor Araragi."_ Dodaitose nodded in comprehension and watched the battle. Shinji turned back to Tsutarja.

"_I was originally a Kolink,"_ he replied, _"but I evolved into a Luxio."_ He tried to remember how many days had passed since his evolution. _"I became a Luxio about two weeks ago…"_

Tsutarja nodded. _"I see…"_

Shikijika pranced over to them. _"Hi, I haven't introduced myself to you, have I?"_ She smiled kindly. _"I'm Shikijika. You are…?"_

"_The name's Tsutarja,"_ the Grass Pokémon greeted back.

Shinji didn't look at her. _"Luxio."_

"_It's nice to meet you! I'll be in your care!"_ With that, she sat next to Pochama and conversed with him for a while.

Hikari had dozed off while the battle between Jun and Cheren went on… or so she thought. Actually, their battle was over a few minutes ago. Now they were starting to train together.

"_Wake up, Troublesome Girl…"_ Shinji demanded. He poked her arm with his tail. _"If you keep on sleeping like this, we're probably going to leave you here."_

Tsutarja chuckled. _"No we won't."_

Pochama came by, finding Shinji trying to wake Hikari up. _"No, no, that's not how you do it." _He took a step back and leapt onto the blunette._ "Peck!"_ His beak began to glow and he started pecking her head.

"Ow! Ow! Ow!" Hikari yelled after each peck. "Okay, okay, I'm up, I'm up!" She attempted to smack Pochama away, but he dodged it in time and landed back on the grass. "Sheesh, you could've used Bubblebeam instead…" She started muttering incoherent words under her breath.

Hikari's Pokémon started laughing as they teased Hikari. _Is it always this chaotic among those two?_ he thought. _Seeing them makes me want to somehow smirk… And that's just completely strange for me…_

"Hey!" Jun called out. "Wanna battle Cheren?"

"What do you think? Wanna try battling?" she asked her Pokémon. They all nodded in agreement. "How about you, Luxio?"

Shinji shrugged. Although he wanted to change back to normal, he wasn't really interested in battling Cheren right now.

"Oh Luxio…" She made her way to the field. "So, how many Pokémon do you have on you, Cheren?"

Cheren looked up as he finished healing his Mijumaru. "I have only two, unfortunately…"

Hikari crossed her arms, thinking. "Hmmm… two Pokémon…" She scratched her head. "So you have Mijumaru and…?"

"I have a Mijumaru and a Mamepato." Cheren threw a PokéBall into the air and out came his second Pokémon. "I recently caught her, but she's pretty strong."

It was a mainly gray, pigeon-like Pokémon. Its wings were black with a thick gray stripe running down them.

"A Mamepato?" Jun scanned it with his PokéDex.

_Mamepato, the Tiny Pigeon Pokémon. It lives in urban areas. Since it loves company, it loves to gather around in parks or plazas._

"Hmmm… Well, about a Double Battle?" Hikari suggested. "I'll be using Luxio and my new Shikijika. How's that?"

Cheren nodded. "Okay then." He patted Mijumaru and Mamepato's heads. "You ready, guys?"

The two nodded in determination. _"Let's do this!"_ They both hopped out to the front, ready to battle.

"Alright, Shikijika and Luxio! Charm up!" she cried, as she tossed Shikijika's PokéBall into the air. Shikijika appeared in a flash of light and Shinji simply walked into the battlefield.

_Sometimes, I really wish she would stop saying that battle cry of hers to me…_ Shinji thought. _Charm Up? Really?_

"Ladies first, Hikari-San!"

Hikari nodded. "Shikijika, use Tackle on Mamepato! Luxio, use Discharge on Mijumaru!" Shikijika charged towards Mamepato as quickly as she could. As for Shinji, he aimed his Discharge on Mijumaru.

"Mijumaru, block with your shell! Mamepato, fly to the sky!" As the two Pokémon obeyed, Hikari smirked.

"Scatter Discharge!"

Shinji relaxed his muscles and his beam of Discharge scattered into the air.

"Shikijika, hop on that rock and use Camouflage!" The Season Pokémon hopped on a nearby rock and an aura surrounded her. She now became a rock type. When a beam of electricity zapped her, it did no damage at all. "That's great!"

However, the Discharge had hit Mijumaru from the back. Mijumaru cried out in pain. He fell to the ground immediately. It was a one hit K.O.

Cheren sweatdropped. "Wow… That is one powerful Luxio…" He only had Mamepato left. "Looks like I got no choice… Mamepato, use Attract on Luxio!"

Shinji's jaw hung open. _"What?"_ His first instinct was to run away, but Attract would catch up to him. _"Shit…"_ Mamepato blew him a kiss and a stream of hearts flowed towards him. His eye twitched in disgust. The hearts surrounded him, but luckily, his speed was top notch! He managed to dodge before it got him. _"That was horrifying…"_

"Leer, Luxio!"

With a smirk, he sent a sharp glare at Mamepato. She flinched and froze from fright.

"Shikijika, use the rock to tackle Mamepato!" Shikijika used the rock for a boost as she jumped to Mamepato. "Go!" She tackled Mamepato to the ground.

Jun raised his hands. "Let's stop this battle and head to Sanyou Gym already!"

Hikari and Cheren blinked at the blonde with deadpan eyes. They sighed, knowing that they can't argue with Jun. "Good battle!" With that, they continued their way to Sanyou City.

~.~.~

"Hey, we're here!" Jun called out. He pointed to the large city before them. Sanyou City had many colorful buildings! "Awesome! Let's go to Sanyou Gym immediately!"

The blunette groaned and grabbed Jun's scarf. "We're not going until Cheren gets his Pokémon healed!" Pochama agreed with a nod.

Cheren chuckled nervously. "It's okay, Hikari-San. You two go ahead."

"No way!" Hikari protested. "It's my fault for making your Mijumaru faint, so I'm not going anywhere until you get your Pokémon healed!" She dragged them into the Pokémon Center.

The intellectual trainer gave in and handed his PokéBalls to Joi. While they waited for his Pokémon to heal, they sat in the waiting room to chat. Once Cheren received his healed Pokémon, they made their way to the Sanyou Gym.

Sanyou Gym was a very posh building with pillars on the outside and a glass topped roof.

But the inside wasn't what they had expected…

Instead of seeing a gym immediately, they saw a small café inside. There were especially girls having tea and some cakes. Jun blinked in confusion.

"Did… did we get the wrong building?" Hikari whispered. Pochama looked around, but saw nothing that looks like a gym.

Two waiters turned their heads to the opened doors. One had red hair and the other had blue hair.

"Hi! Welcome!" the red-haired waiter greeted. He ushered them over to an open table. Shinji went under the table along with Pochama. "Allow us to introduce ourselves! My name's Pod!"

The blue-haired waiter bowed. "This waiter is Corn," he introduced. He seemed to speak in a third-person's point-of-view.

Pod took out a small memo and a pen. "So what would you like today? I would recommend the Psycho Soda if you need a little boost of energy!" He grinned, offering them a cup of soda.

Corn slightly flicked his hair. "Ah, what a lovely lady!" He took Hikari's hand and kissed it. Pochama's jaw hung open in shock. "So what brings you here to our café?"

Unfortunately, Shinji saw that little move. He grinded his teeth and his insides were boiling like crazy! He heard himself growl at Corn, as if he didn't want the blue-haired waiter near her. The Penguin Pokémon slightly cowered.

Hikari slightly blushed from the action. "U-uh, we just came here for a gym match…" She scratched the back of Shinji's ears, reassuring him that it was nothing.

Shinji felt relaxed – yes, he finally put a name to the strange feeling – as she continued to scratch his ears. It was actually quite enjoyable. _I've finally lost my mind,_ he decided.

The red-haired waiter's ears perked up at the words. "A gym match?"

Suddenly, the girls around them looked up. They all squealed after a moment of silence. "Oh my gosh, a gym battle? No way!" They all gathered around Hikari, Jun, and Cheren. "We haven't seen a gym battle for weeks!"

The three sweatdropped at their enthusiasm. They never expected a crowd of girls to gather around them.

The lights dimmed as the two waiters walked to a fireplace.

"We'll grant your request!" They turned and pointed at the three.

The girls squealed their hearts out.

"I'll give you a battle that's scorching as fire!" Pod exclaimed as he held up a determined fist.

"Wonderful!" the girls squealed.

"Actually, Corn thinks we should face this coolly, like water." Corn coolly flicked his hair.

"We are two of the three brothers of this gym! Pod and Corn!"

The girls were sent into bliss. "Oh, to see another gym battle!"

"It would be so wonderful to see it!"

"It's Showtime!" With that, the walls moved apart to reveal a large room. It had a rocky terrain as a battlefield. The girls that were in the café stood on the top deck of the gym. They were wearing cheerleader outfits and carrying pom-poms. Hikari and Jun gaped at the surprising discovery.

Cheren readjusted his glasses after this awkward entrance. "Um… I swore I heard you say 'two of the three brothers'…? Aren't there supposed to be three gym leaders here?"

Pod scratched his head. "Sadly, our bro – Dento – decided to travel with one of our Pokémon Trainers." He crossed his arms, trying to remember the name. "What was it again? It started with a 'sa'…"

Corn snapped his fingers. "Oh! I remember! It was someone named Satoshi."

"SATOSHI?" Hikari and Jun shouted. "NO WAY!" Their jaws hung open as they looked at the two waiters then to themselves.

Even Shinji was shocked. To think that his good rival was in the same region as them! _"Even Satoshi's here?"_ he asked himself. He then smirked. _"Well, this should be interesting…"_

"Man, that kid was really interesting…" Pod smirked.

Corn agreed as he nodded. "He battled all three of us and won two out of three battles. He got his badge."

Jun's jaw hung open. "He battled all three of you?" He jumped around, excited. "That Satoshi…! He always knows when to make a surprising impression!"

Cheren sighed, crossing his arms. "I guess I have no choice…"

Hikari blinked. "What do you mean, Cheren?"

"In this gym, you can choose the gym leader you want to battle," Corn explained. "So it's Corn, Pod, or Dento. However, Dento isn't here."

They entered the gym, still amazed at how something this big was behind the walls of a café.

"So… I guess I'll just battle someone else." Cheren sighed. "I was hoping to battle him, but it's fine." At that, the girls seem to look glum.

"Well, let me introduce you to my partner, Baoppu!" Pod threw his PokéBall in the air, and out came a red Pokémon. It almost resembled an Eipam, except there was a whorled scruff on its head.

"Corn uses this Pokémon!" A blue Pokémon appeared in a flash of light. "This is Corn's Hiyappu." Hiyappu looked similar to Baoppu but instead of a whorled scruff, it had a puffy, wave-like tuff on its head.

Meanwhile, Pochama and Shinji were watching them. Pochama pouted. _"I can't believe Hikari-Chan's actually going along with this…"_

Shinji rolled his eyes. _"I know you already saw this coming, Pochama. I'm not that stupid."_

"_I know…"_ he sighed. _"It's just… What if Hikari-Chan gives up on Pokémon Contests and decides to become a Pokémon Trainer instead?"_ Pochama slumped over, feeling depressed about that possibility.

"… _I doubt it."_

"_Huh?"_

Shinji sweatdropped. _"I mean, I doubt that Troublesome Girl will give up her dream to be the Top Coordinator."_ He looked at the blunette, who let out Tsutarja. _"I know she won't. It's been her dream since childhood, wasn't it?"_

Pochama sighed, but looked back up in determination. _"You know what? You're right, Shinji!"_ He stood up proudly, crossing his flippers. _"As long as she doesn't give up her dream to be the Top Coordinator, I'll let her be a Pokémon Trainer!"_

"_Don't act as if you're her master, you penguin."_

He received a frustrated sigh as a response.

~.~.~

Hikari's legs were shaking. "I'm not sure if I want to go first, guys…" She laughed nervously, rubbing the back of her head. "I'm really nervous."

Jun rolled his eyes. "You don't have to, Hikari."

"I'll go first, then," Cheren volunteered. "I have to hurry anyways…"

"Um… Okay." Hikari and Jun went upstairs to the top deck to watch the battle. Shinji and Pochama followed them. Hikari carried Pochama up to the railing, while Shinji stood on his hind paws to boost himself up.

"So who will you choose to battle, Cheren-Kun?" Corn asked.

"Um… I'll go with Pod-San."

"Alright!" Pod cheered. "Looks like I'm going first, Corn!"

Corn shrugged. "Corn doesn't particularly mind if you go first." With that, he stepped up to the referee stand. He raised his hand. "Well then… The Pokémon to faint first will lose. Let the battle…" He swung his arm down, signaling the start of the match. "… begin!"

Pod and Cheren let their Pokémon out.

"Let's battle, Mijumaru!" Cheren let out his starter Pokémon. The Sea Otter Pokémon appeared in a flash of light. "This is gonna be our first gym match, Mijumaru! Let's do our best!"

"_Agreed!"_ Mijumaru exclaimed. He grabbed the shell on his belly and prepared to battle.

"Why don't you go first, Cheren?" Pod asked.

Cheren nodded. "Mijumaru, Water Sport!"

With that, Mijumaru spewed streams of water around the battlefield. Water was everywhere, even on Mijumaru.

Pod pumped up a fist. "Baoppu, use Flamethrower!" Baoppu obeyed Pod and released a stream of flames towards Mijumaru.

"Duck and roll to the side, Mijumaru!" Mijumaru ducked, dodging the Flamethrower, and rolled to the side. "Use Water Gun while you have the chance!" Cheren commanded. With that, the Sea Otter Pokémon leapt in the air and shot a good-aimed Water Gun at Baoppu. It hit the opponent and dealt a lot of damage. "That was great, Mijumaru!"

"_Nothing can get past me!"_ Mijumaru exclaimed. _"I'm invincible!"_ With that, he laughed haughtily.

Shinji sweatdropped at the sight. _"It's like having another clone of you, penguin…"_

"_What did you just say?"_ Pochama narrowed his eyes.

Shinji didn't reply. He just ignored him and continued to watch the battle.

"Baoppu, Fire Punch!" Pod and Baoppu's actions synced as Baoppu punched Mijumaru in the stomach. Mijumaru was knocked down to the ground, but sustained little damage.

"Mijumaru, Shell Blade!" Mijumaru's shell glowed yellow and left a blue trail behind. He charged towards Baoppu, preparing to hit him with it.

Pod shook his head. "Baoppu, use Dig!" With that, Baoppu dug underground, evading Mijumaru's attack. Mijumaru skidded to a stop, panicking.

"_W-where did he go?"_ He whipped his head back and forth, trying to find where Baoppu will attack. However, he did not expect Baoppu to attack him from right below him. Mijumaru was thrown in the air, unable to gain any balance. He landed on his belly. _"Ow…"_

"Mijumaru! Are you okay?"

"_I'm good!"_ Mijumaru got up with shaky legs.

Baoppu was the same. He was weakened very badly. It was like he was only able to only stand up. _"You're a good opponent, Mijumaru, I'll give you that."_

"_Thanks. I should be saying the same to you!"_ Baoppu complimented. _"I think our last move will choose how this match will end, don't you think?"_

Mijumaru nodded, panting. _"Let's do this, Cheren!"_

Cheren took a deep breath. "Mijumaru, Shell Blade!"

Pod raised up a determined fist. "Baoppu, Fire Punch!"

The two Pokémon charged at each other with their commanded moves. A huge crashing sound was heard as the two were at opposite sides. Suspension lingered in the air as everyone waited for whichever Pokémon to faint.

"_Great battle, Mijumaru…"_ Baoppu murmured. With that, he collapsed to the floor.

"Baoppu!" Pod shouted.

The cheerleaders on the top deck sighed. "Another defeat for Pod-Sama…" One of the girls whined that they can't believe it.

Hikari gazed at the battlefield. "Even though I have battled a gym leader once… it still seems difficult…"

Jun snorted, waving that remark away. "Oh, please… You think it's difficult…?" He crossed his arms, smirking. "It's more than just that! It's your determination that matters! As long as you're determined to beat a gym leader, nothing's difficult!"

Shinji smugly rolled his eyes, smirking at Jun's view of a gym match. _"Hn… interesting kid, that Jun…"_ He looked back down at the battlefield and then to Hikari. _"Hey, are you really going to be a Pokémon Trainer _AND_ a Pokémon Coordinator?"_

As if she understood him, Hikari shrugged. "Maybe… I'm still considering being a Pokémon Trainer. I'm definitely going to try the Pokémon Musicals though."

"You should try gym battles too!" Jun insisted. "It seems fun to lead two lives at once!"

Hikari giggled. "Yeah, that reminds me of Naoshi-San! He was a Coordinator _and_ a Trainer! I thought it was amazing to do both at once!" She smiled, thinking to herself for a bit.

Pochama watched her think and slightly smiled. _"Here comes her decision…"_

"I decided!"

Shinji, Pochama, and Jun looked at her.

Hikari looked up, smiling with determination. "I decided to be a Coordinator and Trainer!" She nodded firmly, her blue eyes shining. "But my only goal is to be the Top Coordinator!"

~.~.~

_A/N: Sorry… This isn't much of a chapter, huh…? ^^" I promise to make the next chapter better! Hikari and Jun are going to battle the Sanyou Gym after all! :3 Now I need to work on Ribbon of Royalty, TSSS, and… *starts murmuring*_

_Ichi – Um… To finish for Hana, I'll just say this: We hope you enjoyed this chapter! If there are any mistakes, please notify us!_


	11. First Official Gym Battle

_A/N: Guys, I don't mean to get a little pissed off sometimes, but uh… In Tobari Shinobi: Shinou Scandal, some reviewers mentioned a mistake in a Pokémon's name, but if you read my twin brother's notes, he said that he was going to change the English names back to the Japanese (Trademark) names. We would kindly appreciate it if you guys read the notes instead of not reading it and reviewing that there's a mistake. Thank you! OwO_

_Note: Zui Ruins/Solaceon Ruins, Zui Town/Solaceon Town, Unknown/Unown, Shippou City/Nacrene City_

**Mystique****  
CH ****11****:**** First Official Gym Battle **

Jun's battle had started. Of course, Hikari already knew that she'll have to wait until tomorrow for her gym battle. Baoppu and Hiyappu will be exhausted for the day, after all.

Cheren had already defeated Pod and got his badge. He greeted them good-bye and left the gym to travel on his own again.

For now, she just watched the battle while cheering for Jun. She wore her cheerleader outfit that was designed to match Jun. "Go, go, Jun! Defeat him, Jun!" The other cheerleaders stared at her, their jaws hanging open. Although it was awkward, she tried her best to ignore them.

Pod was the referee for this battle. He looked at Corn to Jun and nodded. "This will be a battle between Corn's Hiyappu and Jun's Pokabu! The first Pokémon to go down will be considered defeated! Now…" He raised his hand up and paused. "Let the battle begin!" He swung his arm down, signaling the start of the match.

"Pokabu, use Ember!" Jun commanded.

The orb at the end of Pokabu's tail glowed orange as she leapt into the air. She released a spiraling stream of ember towards Hiyappu.

Corn flicked his blue hair, smiling. "Amazing, Pokabu already has such power in her Ember!" His blue eyes shined like water in the sunlight. "But it's still no match!" He pointed at Pokabu. "Hiyappu, use Double Team!"

Hiyappu glowed white and multiple clones appeared! The Ember showered the clones and the real one, blinding their vision. The clones had disappeared immediately.

Jun smirked. "Charge at Hiyappu!" Pokabu ran so fast that Hiyappu couldn't see her coming! "Go!"

Pokabu kept running after Hiyappu, attempting to make him lose his step while running. _"Let's do this, Jun!"_

"Use your tail to flip backwards!"

Corn was taken aback. "What? Flip backwards?"

"_Hell yeah!"_ She coiled her tail and used it to jump, nearly hanging over Hiyappu's head. She grinned as she gave Jun the signal.

"Flamethrower!"

Pokabu released a stream of fire point-blank at Hiyappu. The fire consumed Hiyappu immediately, Hiyappu screaming in pain. He fell on one knee, holding himself up. It seems that he got a burn.

Jun pumped up a fist. "Yeah! That's right!"

Corn flicked his hair, smirking. "That's not quite bad for you, I must say." He extended out a palm. "For Pokabu's Flamethrower managing to give a burn to my Water-type Hiyappu… She has been well-trained."

The blonde grinned, firmly nodding. "Of course she's been well-trained! I wouldn't be here if I didn't, you know!"

Hikari shook her pom-poms in the air. "That's it, that's it, Pokabu! Let's go, let's go, Jun!"

Shinji rolled his eyes and rested his head on his paws. _"Where in Shinou do they get their energy from?"_ He sighed, watching his tail wag up and down. _"Knowing Jun… Despite that a Fire-Type is against a Water-Type, Jun always has a trick up his sleeve…"_

Indeed, he was right. No matter what kind of battle it was, whether the enemy had a type advantage or not, he'd always have at least one secret strategy hiding. It turns out that that was his secret strategy.

Corn smiled, still calm. "Hiyappu, circle around Pokabu using Double Team!" Multiple clones of Hiyappu circled around Pokabu. Corn extended out a palm. "Now, use Water Gun!"

Jun smirked. "I thought you would've used that!"

"What?"

Right when the clones released a stream of water, Jun commanded, "Pokabu, use your tail to jump into the air!" Pokabu coiled her tail again and used it to jump high above Hiyappu. The Water Gun had destroyed the other clones and the real one was left. Fire engulfed Hiyappu, suffering damage from his burn. "Ember!"

Pokabu released ember and distracted Hiyappu. _"Now!"_

"Bite Hiyappu's tail and throw him to the rocks!" Pokabu bit Hiyappu's tail while he was still distracted. She then twirled him around and around and smashed Hiyappu to a nearby rock. It shattered into pieces.

"Alright!" Jun exclaimed.

"Hiyappu!" Corn called out. Unfortunately, Hiyappu had fainted.

"Hiyappu is unable to battle!" Pod pointed towards Jun. "The victory goes to Jun!"

The cheerleaders slumped. "Oh no… Another loss for Corn-Sama…" They sighed in sync, gloomy of their idols' losses.

Jun grinned, pumping up a triumph fist. "Hell yeah! Now this is what I'm talking about!" Pokabu joined in, looking as fiery and determined as ever. Unfortunately, Pokabu DID suffer some pain. She slightly stumbled to the side. Jun chuckled and picked up Pokabu. "You did great, Pokabu. Get some rest." He returned Pokabu to her PokéBall.

Shinji smirked, nodding. _"Not bad, Jun."_

Corn returned Hiyappu back to his PokéBall. "That wasn't very bad, Jun. You deserve this badge for defeating me!" He handed Jun the Tri Badge.

"Alright!" He held the badge high into the sky. "This is so awesome!"

"Say, were you a trainer in a different region?"

"That's right!" he replied. "I was a really strong Pokémon Trainer back at Shinou! Cool, right?"

"Shinou?" Pod asked. "I've heard of the name, but we've never visited there before."

Hikari went downstairs to join the conversation. "Shinou is pretty fun, actually. We have Pokémon Contests, too! You see, I'm aiming to be the Top Coordinator!"

"A Pokémon Coordinator?" Pod exclaimed. "Oh! I've seen those!" He nudged Corn. "You know, we watched those shows where people dress up and make their Pokémon do a lot of flashy moves!"

Corn snapped his fingers. "Ah! That show! Yes, yes, I remember that you were the winner of the Wallace Cup, were you not?"

Hikari nodded, flushing. "Y-yeah… I was…"

Shinji sighed and rolled his eyes. He sat down and waited as Hikari and Jun talked.

~.~.~

Eventually, it all led to a free dinner in Sanyou Gym. The cheerleaders went back home, so it was only Corn, Pod, Hikari, and Jun. Of course, Shinji and their other Pokémon were included.

Hikari and Jun were served delicious-looking dishes for dinner! It was steak, baked potato, salad, tempura, noodles, and so much more! Even the Pokémon were served the same thing! The food was just a little more… smaller in size.

Jun was drooling over the food. "Wow, did you two make all this?"

Pod flashed a grin. "Of course! Corn and I are good chefs, just like our bro, Dento!"

Hikari's eyes lit up. "Oh yeah, I've been meaning to ask you. Who is he?" She recalled what the two told them. "You said that Dento-San is traveling with Satoshi, didn't you?"

Pod nodded. "Yeah!"

Corn swallowed his piece of steak. "Dento is our brother, like we said. He's a Grass-Type Gym Leader, a great chef, and a Pokémon Sommelier."

Hikari and Jun blinked in confusion. "Sommelier? We've never heard of that before."

"Well, Sommeliers aren't very popular in other regions after all," Corn shrugged. "You see, a Sommelier is a person who specializes in identifying the compatibility between a Pokémon and their trainer."

"There are four classes in the Pokémon Sommelier category: S, A, B, C. S is the highest class and the C is the lowest. They're only allowed to assist A or S-Class Sommeliers."

Jun looked up, his mouth full of food. He swallowed it down. "Then, what class is Dento in?"

"He's an A-Class Sommelier!" Pod proudly declared. "He always had this thing called "Tasting Time" during his battles, whether it was with a trainer or both of us. He would compare the compatibility between his opponent and their Pokémon."

Hikari chewed on the steak, listening to more of Pod and Corn's brother, Dento. Jun just continued to dig in his food like there was no tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Shinji and the others were eating their dinner. Even they – well, maybe except Shinji – also ate like there was no tomorrow. It was just so delicious and mouth-watering! Shinji stared at them with deadpan eyes before ripping a piece of steak with his fangs. He chewed and chewed, listening in on the four's conversation.

"So are you two Sommeliers too?"

"Sadly, we're not." The two brothers looked at each other. "But we're proud that Dento's a Sommelier. He's an A-Class Sommelier, after all." Pod took a bite of his baked potato.

Corn gave them a smile. "Why don't you tell us about Shinou? We're quite interested in that region." He ate some of his salad. "You two must know a lot, right?"

Hikari washed her food down with water. "Of course, we do! Our hometown is Futaba Town, so we know more than you think!" She began to tell them what, where, and why things are there in Shinou. She even told some stories of her travels with Satoshi and Takeshi. Shinji listened to her stories while finishing the last of his salad.

"And there are these ruins called Zui Ruins near Zui Town."

Shinji's ears perked up at the name. _"The Zui Ruins…?"_

"Zui Ruins?" Pod and Corn repeated.

The blunette nodded. "Yes, the Zui Ruins. There's a tablet written in Unknown letters." She recalled the day Shirona described Shinji and Satoshi's bond with each other. "The ruins say, "When every life meets another life, something will be born."

Pod and Corn's eyes grew slightly large in interest. "Wow… That's pretty deep."

Hikari scratched her cheek, finishing her baked potato. "To tell you the truth, I think what the ruins say are true." She lowered her utensils, remembering those days with Satoshi and Takeshi… and Shinji. "Honestly, I think something was born when I met Satoshi, Takeshi, and this trainer named Shinji. Of course, I can _never_ forget my Pokémon. There are more people to list, too."

"_Huh?"_ Shinji turned to Hikari. _"Me?"_

"Really? What do you think as born between you and that Shinji guy?" Pod asked. He seemed really interested.

She blushed and drank her water to cool her down. "U-um… well…"

Even Jun stopped eating to listen.

"I think… I think a certain bond was formed between me and him. It's probably from my side, though. His bond with me is probably not that strong as I want it to be."

Shinji exhaled, taking in what Hikari said. _Am I… really that important to her?_

Pod grinned slyly, resting his chin on his hand. "Oh?" His fiery red eyes shined. "I'm no Sommelier or matchmaker, but it sounds like you like him."

Hikari nearly choked on her water. "W-w-w-what?" she spluttered. "U-u-uh… I-I…"

"You like Shinji, Hikari?" Jun asked. His amber eyes were wide with surprise and his jaw was hanging open.

"What if I said 'no'?"

Jun shrugged. "I don't know."

"What if I said 'yes'?"

"If you said 'yes', then I wouldn't really mind supporting you." He grinned. "But I'll only support you if Shinji seems to return your feelings."

Hikari laughed. "So your support will have to wait, huh?" Her eyes widened as she slapped her mouth shut. "Oops…"

"Ah, so you do like Shinji," Corn chimed. "That is adorable."

"Be quiet, all of you!" Hikari muffled. She quickly went back to finishing her salad as the three laughed. "Sheesh…"

Suddenly, Dodaitose nudged Shinji. _"Well, well, well… it looks like you've got some trouble in your hands."_

Pochama rolled his eyes, crossing his arms. _"Hikari really does like you, huh?"_ He sighed, but regained his mood. _"Man, this is ridiculous! How can Hikari-Chan like a guy like you?"_

Shinji shrugged. _"I don't know."_ His cheeks were still hot, so he tried to suppress it. He groaned, lying on his belly. _"How will I deal with her when I become human again?"_ He looked out the window and his eyes widened. _Come to think of it… the full moon is tomorrow night,_ he thought. _"Maybe I can talk to her when I'm… temporarily a human."_

Pochama looked outside the window, realizing that the full moon was tomorrow too. _"Oh yeah! But… how are you going to get out? You have to talk to her from far away, don't you?"_

He smirked, shaking his head. _"Did you really think I was sitting around fiddling with my tail? I'm always devising plans for my short trip to another town or city when I become human for the day."_ He glanced at Hikari. _"Besides, she 'knows' that I haven't been captured yet, so she'll probably let me go around on my own. I've been doing that for a while to get her used to what I do."_

Tsutarja looked surprised. _"Huh, that's pretty clever. How long have you been working that plan out?"_

"_It didn't take long,"_ Shinji replied. _"She gets used to things easily anyways…"_

"_Hey!"_ Pochama pointed at him. _"What's that supposed to mean?"_

"_Um…"_ Togekiss nervously interrupted. _"Are we… missing something…?"_ She tilted her head worriedly. _"I don't mean to be interfering, but it seems like there's something we shouldn't know about…"_

The four sweatdropped, exchanging worried glances. Togekiss, Emperte, Pokabu, and Shikijika were standing in front of Dodaitose, Pochama, Tsutarja, and Shinji.

Dodaitose was the first to break the awkward silence. _"It's nothing to worry about, Togekiss."_

Togekiss still looked concern. _"Is Hikari-Chan involved in this? I'm her friend too…"_

Pochama shifted uncomfortably in his position. _"Togekiss… We wish we can tell you, but…"_ he hesitated, _"but I think it's better if you don't know for now. We'll let you know everything once this certain situation is settled."_

"_But…"_

"_Please, everyone… We promise to tell all of you later. If we don't, we'll do something to make it up for you guys,"_ Dodaitose compromised.

"_Fine,"_ Togekiss replied with a nod. _"… but… don't forget this promise, okay?"_ She told the others to pretend that none of this happened. _"So… Hikari fancies Shinji, huh?"_ She smiled, joyfully flapping her wings. _"Well, she's got my support!"_

Shinji's cheeks grew hot again. _"Can we please not talk about that?"_

Tsutarja nudged Shinji, smiling coyly. _"Sure, sure… We'll talk about that another day."_

~.~.~

_**That night…**_

Hikari and Jun reserved a room in the Pokémon Center. Everyone, except Shinji, returned to their PokéBalls for a good night's rest. Shinji wasn't very sleepy that night, so he stayed up to look at the night sky.

Shinji quietly sighed, gazing at the nearly full moon. _The full moon is tomorrow night… I better go during midnight to have as much time as possible._ He looked around the room for the map of Isshu. Every Pokémon Center had one in every room. He eventually found it nearby Hikari's bed. Hesitantly, he hopped to the edge of her bed and examined the map.

They were Sanyou City right now, so he would have to travel one or two cities or towns ahead. He saw a town called Current Town* and the next was Shippou City. Regarding his speed, it probably would take him at least the whole night to get to Shippou City.

He nodded, deciding to go to Shippou City. Shinji looked outside the window as if he was searching for something. Then, he found who he was looking for: Natio. He unlocked the window of the room, hopped down the balcony, and bounced off a tree. He softly and gently landed on his paws and walked towards the Pokémon.

"_So you want us to meet at Shippou City?"_ Natio asked. When Shinji raised a brow, Natio slightly bent down to Shinji's eye level. _"I _can_ see the future after all. But I cannot see all of it at once. That is why I will ask where in Shippou City we will meet."_

"_Meet me somewhere near the Pokémon Center. I'm not sure if there's any bushes around that can hide us, but look for my purple streaks."_

Natio nodded, opening his wings. _"This was quite the trip for me to go through, but for an old-timer like me, it was refreshing."_

Shinji raised a brow again. _"Wait, you're old?"_

"_Of course, I am."_ Natio stared at the moon for a while. _"It's not that noticeable, but yes, I am old."_

He processed the information in his mind before continuing. _"Anyways… you said that you can see the future, right?"_

"_Yes, but remember, I cannot see all of it."_

"_I'm aware…"_ Shinji hesitated to ask. _"How… How does my future look?"_

Natio stared at him with blank eyes. _"Your future?"_

"_Yeah… Does it look positive or negative…?"_

"_Hmmm… your future… your future…"_ The Pokémon stood still for a few seconds as it gazed at somewhere else. _"I must have to say that your future has the positive result."_ A very tiny smile had appeared on Natio's face. _"However, I will not say what, when, where, why, and/or how it's positive."_

Shinji smirked, shaking his head. _"There's no need to."_ He looked at the slightly open window, where he came from. _"I don't want to know more than that."_ He gazed at the stars, contemplating about tomorrow. _"Listen, I don't have much to say… but… why are you trying so hard to turn me back into a human?"_

Natio was silent. _"My, you are quite the curious boy, aren't you?"_ He slightly chuckled. _"I'm not trying that hard, young one. It is simply that I do not want to change the fate of a human like you. Surely you don't want to be a Pokémon forever, right?"_

"_Of course not,"_ Shinji replied. _"But there are a lot of things I'm learning from this."_

"_Ah, is that so?"_ Natio opened his wings again, preparing to take flight. _"Well, I need to go now. I must find Shippou City and prepare to transform you back into a human, temporarily."_ With that, he flew off into the night, disappeared into the darkness.

Shinji looked at the direction Natio went to for a few more seconds and turned back. He bounced off the tree and landed back on the balcony. _I hope no one noticed me…_ He went back to his spot, which was near Hikari's bed. But before he was able to even close his eyes, Hikari tapped him. He jumped, his fur standing on its ends.

"Sorry, Luxio, sorry!" Hikari whispered. "I didn't mean to frighten you."

He calmed down as he took deep breaths. _"What do you want? Wait… You didn't see outside just now, did you?"_

Hikari gestured him to hop on her bed. He hesitantly did so. "Hey, Luxio. I know your secret." That sent Shinji into a state of panic and anxiety. "You're always going to Shinji whenever it's a full moon, huh?" Shinji was relieved. He nodded. "Hey, I know it's a full moon tomorrow night, so can you deliver some stuff to Shinji for me?"

"_What kind of stuff?"_

The blunette dug through her bed and took out a set of folded clothes. "I'm not really sure if he got new clothes for Isshu, so I made an outfit for him."

Shinji raised a brow. _"How do you know my measurements?"_

"The measurements were kinda hard to figure out, but I somehow managed to get it off of Jun. They're almost the same height, except Shinji's just a little more taller." She placed it on her lap. A small smile appeared on her face, her cheeks pink.

"_Hn, you're very observant, aren't you?"_ He smirked. _"So what do you want again?"_

She smiled, scratching behind his ears. "So do you think you deliver his new outfit for me?" Shinji nodded. She got Shinji's bag and placed the clothes in it.

But something caught Shinji's eye. It was the bandages on Hikari's hand. _"Hey, what have you been doing?"_

"O-oh, these?" Hikari rubbed her hand. "Well… I was making Shinji's clothes, so I guess I got hurt… a lot." She showed her hands to him. "But it shows how hard I worked for him, doesn't it?"

"_Arceus, what am I going to do with you?"_ Shinji did a facepalm. _"Let me see."_ His tail slightly pulled Hikari's hand to his eyes. _"These aren't too bad, so you're good to go."_ He released her hand and sat beside her legs. _"I want to ask you something."_

"What is it, Luxio?"

"_Why are you trying so hard for me? Am I really that important to you?"_

Hikari blushed. "Um… well…" Her eyes lowered to her hands. "Yes, he is important to me. I love Shinji, Luxio, but I wonder if he feels the same with me." She giggled, slightly gripping his bag a little tighter. "He probably doesn't. I'm very troublesome-"

"_That's not true,"_ Shinji interrupted. _"You're not troublesome. I don't really think so either."_

"Thank you, Luxio." She pecked Shinji's forehead, causing him to blush. "You're a really good friend. I thought you would've hated me, but I guess not." She quietly giggled. "So you'll be leaving tomorrow at midnight, right? I trust you, Luxio. I always do." With that, she slid back into her covers. "Good night, Luxio."

Shinji watched her fall asleep. His heart was beating wildly from what Hikari told him. _I don't get you,_ he thought, _I just don't get you sometimes._ He took a deep breath to calm himself down.

"I'll call him."

"_What?"_

Hikari looked at the map near her bed. "He can't have gotten far from Sanyou City, right? He must be on his way to Shippou City right now…" She gazed at the ceiling. "Yeah, I think I'll call him in the morning." Finally, she went to sleep, her breathing now even.

Shinji curled up next to her, the warmth emitting from her enveloping his body. He felt so relaxed and safe. It was as if nothing could harm him.

_I may have been with you for a few weeks, but…_

_I think… I think I might love you too._

~.~.~

_**The next morning…**_

Everyone was awake and eating breakfast. Today was Hikari's first gym battle as a Pokémon Trainer! They were given a special treat by her for today.

When they were ready to go, they went to the Sanyou Gym. Hikari was nervous, but she didn't back away. Although she did fight Sumomo as a gym battle, it wasn't like she was going to get a badge. But this time, if she won, she _will_ get a badge.

"Ooh…" Hikari's legs were shaking like crazy! "I'm so nervous! What if I do horribly? This is so nerve-wrecking!" She started pulling her ponytail from the anxiety.

"Hey, don't say that!" Jun slapped her back. "Suck it up and go do your best!"

"Thanks, Jun." They entered the gym and were greeted by Pod and Corn. "Hi, guys! I came for a gym battle!" The girls from yesterday were already here and squealed for another battle. "I would like to battle Pod, please!"

Pod perked up at his name. "Hell yeah! I'm gonna give you one fiery battle!"

Corn placed his hands on his hips, smiling. "Well, Corn doesn't mind if you battle Pod. I will be the referee for this battle." The walls of the gym opened up to reveal the same battlefield as yesterday. Hikari and Pod took their positions on opposite sides of the field. "This will be a gym battle between the gym leader Pod and the opponent, Hikari!" He swung his hand down, signaling the start of the battle. "… and begin!"

"Let's do this, Baoppu!" He threw his PokéBall to the field, his Baoppu appearing in a flash of light.

"Tsutarja, Charm Up!" Tsutarja came out from his PokéBall, ready to battle. "Let's go for it, Tsutarja!"

"_No problem,"_ he coolly replied. _"I'll make sure that this battle goes quickly."_

Shinji simply stood beside Hikari, watching the battle. _"Don't be losing on her, Tsutarja."_

Tsutarja smirked. _"Who said I was gonna lose?"_ With that, the battle began.

Hikari pointed at Baoppu. "Tsutarja, use Vine Whip on Baoppu's feet!" Two vines appeared from Tsutarja as he started slapping the ground near Baoppu's feet. Baoppu continued to stagger back, unable to regain his balance. "That's great! Keep going!"

Pod wouldn't allow that, of course. "Baoppu, use Dig!" The High Temp Pokémon jumped and dug a hole in front of Tsutarja.

"Ah! Tsutarja, catch Baoppu's tail!" Tsutarja's vines caught Baoppu from digging any further.

"Baoppu, grab the vines and use Flamethrower!"

Hikari was taken aback. "Jump, Tsutarja, jump!" But it was too late. Baoppu had grabbed Tsutarja's vines and prepared to use Flamethrower. Hikari clenched her fist, trying to think of a counterattack. Her eyes suddenly widened when she realized that it was too late. Tsutarja was already hit by the Flamethrower and suffered major damage. "Tsutarja!"

"_U-ugh… I'm… I'm fine! Just keep going!"_

_That's it!_ She quickly reacted. "Tsutarja, throw Baoppu into the air with your vines and use Grass Mixer!"

"_I'm on it!"_ Tsutarja used all his speed and strength to grab and throw Baoppu in the air.

"_Whoa, whoa, whoa!"_ Baoppu frantically waved his arms about.

Tsutarja flipped upside down and started spinning as a tornado of glowing green leaves began to form at the tip of his tail. The tornado caught Baoppu inside, spinning him around everywhere. Then, Tsutarja swung around, slamming Baoppu along with the tornado.

Baoppu didn't take much damage from the Grass Mixer, but he was still hurt. He nearly collapsed on one knee, holding himself up with one hand.

"Hang on, Baoppu! Now, use Fire Punch!"

Baoppu got up and his fist was engulfed in fire. He charged towards Tsutarja, who was waiting for Hikari's commands.

Hikari smiled. "Tsutarja, dodge and grab Baoppu with your vines!" Fortunately, Tsutarja was very speedy. He managed to dodge it just in time to grab the opponent with his vines. "Swing him around and throw him to the rocks!"

Tsutarja easily swung Baoppu around and around and smashed him to a large rock. The rock broke into pieces, but Baoppu didn't faint yet.

"Baoppu, use Dig!" The Pokémon jumped and dug a hole.

"Where… where did he…?" Hikari looked around, but a plan formed in her head. "Tsutarja, get inside the hole!"

Pod stared at her with surprised eyes. "What's she planning to…?"

"Grass Mixer!"

Tsutarja spun his tail around, the same tornado forming. However, the tornado traveled through the hole and caught Baoppu in it! They traveled up and up until they resurfaced. Tsutarja slammed the tornado again, making sure that Baoppu sustains a lot of damage.

Baoppu was sprawled on the ground, fainted.

"Oh no, Baoppu!" Pod ran to his Pokémon and picked him up. "You did great, Baoppu. Why don't you get a good rest for the day?" He returned Baoppu back to his PokéBall and approached Hikari. "That was a great battle, Hikari. I present you the Tri Badge." Pod handed her the badge of Sanyou Gym. "Congratulations on winning your first battle as a Pokémon Trainer!"

Hikari stared at the badge, happy that she won her first badge! Of course, she wasn't as happy as when she won a Ribbon from a Contest. "Wow… This is my very first badge…" She took out her badge case and gently placed the badge in it. "Huh… This might be hard… but I'll do my best!"

Jun ran downstairs to congratulate Hikari. "So how does it feel to get a badge, hm?"

"Well, it's not as exciting and heart-pounding as getting a Contest Ribbon, but it sure does feel good!" Hikari smiled as she put her badge case back inside her bag.

~.~.~

It was now dusk and the stars were beginning to appear. Shinji wore his backpack and prepared to make his trip. Hikari greeted him good-bye and wished him good luck. She also packed some food for him to eat when he gets hungry.

Shinji began his trip to Shippou City. He always carried the map with him around his neck, just in case. He continued to run, hoping that he at least traveled a little more than halfway before midnight.

Every time he was reminded of Hikari's hope and trust for him, as a Luxio, he seemed to run a little faster than usual.

"_Wait for me, Hikari. I promise to be at Shippou City."_

He dashed through the trees, avoiding the roads and trainers nearby.

_Wait for me._

~.~.~

_A/N: *gasp* Oh my gosh, did Shinji just confess about his feelings for Hikari? =O If you thought so, then you JUST might be right. :3 Anyways, please review!_

_**Questions**_

_What did you think of Hikari's battle as a Pokémon Trainer?  
Is Shinji's position in this story good enough? (You know… was I too quick about his confession or so? ^^")  
Do you have any suggestions for this story or any changes you want me to make?  
What do you think Hikari and Shinji will talk about when he becomes human again (temporarily)?  
Will Hikari confess to him in the next chapter?  
If she does, do you think Shinji will return them?_


	12. Encounter Shinji!

_A/N: Sorry for not updating in a month, guys! QAQ School's been killing me, but I've also been busy working for my school's Pray For Japan Project. Of course, Ichi's helping too. :3 Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter! (Plus, this is in Shinji's POV.)_

_Note: Suzuran Conference/Lily of the Valley Conference, Yaguruma Forest/Pinwheel Forest_

**Mystique****  
CH ****12****:**** Encounter Shinji! **

I stopped to take a quick breather to check where I was. It's been about two hours since I started from Sanyou City. I can't say I was close to Shippou City, though. Fortunately, there was a small city nearby called Current City. I stopped by to eat something, but I was stopped by an elderly woman.

She took me in her warm house and gave me some food. Honestly, I don't understand why she did that. But I was grateful. I left as soon as I was done eating. I also left her a token of my gratitude.

This was no time to rest, though. I needed to hurry, turn into a human, and get some rest before I talk to Hikari tomorrow.

As I ran, I was thinking of many scenarios of what Hikari will do to keep Jun in Sanyou City. I kept smirking every now and then. One scenario was when Hikari would try to make up some excuse to make Jun stay. I'm sure if she mentions that I'll be calling, Jun will definitely stay. That's probably the most likely method she'll use.

_Knowing my size and speed, I'll probably get to Shippou City an hour before midnight. I did leave Sanyou City at dusk, after all,_ I thought. I just noticed, but… my small body must really not be able to take the weight of the backpack. How much did that Troublesome Girl pack, anyways?

I ran and ran as fast as my legs can take me. Stopping was not an option yet.

~.~.~

It was an hour later. I looked at my map again. I was running on Route 3, which was the road to Shippou City. This was perfect. I might be able to arrive there earlier.

The bag on my back seemed to get heavier and heavier by the minute! I growled as swung my bag down.

That was when I heard a squeak come out from it. My eyes turned deadpan as I stared at it. Suddenly, my bag moved. _"What the…?"_ I nosed my bag open and out came an angry… penguin?

"_Ugh, that really hurt…!"_

"_Pochama…?"_

He stared at me for a brief moment before he freaked out. _"Gah! Shinji! U-uh, look, it's not what it looks like!"_ Pochama scrambled away from me as if I was going to do something to him.

I blinked for a few seconds while I was trying to process what happened. Then, I glared… hard. _"Then, explain why you were in my bag."_

Pochama stood up and dusted himself. _"I went in your bag, so I can keep Jun busy."_

My eyes narrowed. _"What do you mean?"_

"_I-It wasn't my plan. It was Hikari-Chan's plan. She told me that I should go with you so Jun can search for me."_

I nodded in comprehension. I slightly shook my head.

"_What?"_ he shouted. _"It's a great plan! Knowing Jun, he'll probably spend the whole day looking for me! He knows how stubborn Hikari-Chan is!"_

I didn't really expect that girl to plan something like this. It was almost comical. _"You do realize that she could've just said that I was going to call, right? Jun would probably stay for that exact reason."_

Pochama was silent. _"I'm aware."_ He scratched his head. _"But I wanted to know what you were planning to do once you call Hikari-Chan."_ He crossed his arms. _"There's no problem with that, right?"_

"_Whatever…"_ I closed my bag and wore it on my back again. It felt good since it was much lighter without him inside of it. I walked past Pochama and continued on my way to Shippou City.

"_Hey, where are you going?"_

"_Isn't it obvious?"_ I looked back at him. _"I'm going to Shippou City. Are you going to come or not?"_

Pochama smirked as he caught up to me. _"I'm coming."_

~.~.~

_**At Shippou City…**_

It was an hour before midnight when we arrived to Shippou City. We stopped for a while to eat something, since Pochama kept complaining that he was hungry.

"_Alright, so what are you supposed to do here?"_

"_I'm supposed to meet Natio near the Pokémon Center. You can come with me if you want, unless you want to look around."_ I searched for the Pokémon Center and found it near us. _"Do you want to come with me or not?"_

Pochama rolled his eyes. _"I'll go with you. Sheesh, did anyone ever tell you that you're really mean?"_

That question nearly sent me into chuckles. _"I wouldn't say 'mean', but I was insulted by a certain girl."_

"_I can only know it's Hikari-Chan."_

Now I started chuckling. _"She called me a 'nasty, selfish, and spoiled brat'."_ That was the first gym when she called me that. I didn't even remember her that time.

"_Well, you still are."_

"_Yeah, yeah…"_ I checked where the Pokémon Center was, but there were no bushes or shrub of any kind to hide us. _"Let's check somewhere else."_ I looked around me and found a few trees next to me. We hopped in there, only to find Natio waiting for us. _"Let me guess… Your future vision?"_

Natio gave me a small smile and nodded. _"Of course, young one. It would be troublesome if I didn't have it, right?"_ He looked at Pochama. _"Oh? Who is this young one?"_

"_This kid? He's Pochama, that Troublesome Girl's starter Pokémon."_

"_Hey!"_

Natio chuckled again. _"Ah, he is quite the energetic Pokémon, eh?"_ He stared up at the moon again. _"Hmmm… We still have an hour left until I can use the moon's full power to transform you back into a human. Are you sure Pochama can watch?"_

I shrugged. _"It's his choice. If he wants to see my transformation, let him."_

Pochama raised a brow and smirked. _"Oh? Now that I gotta see…"_

I figured he'd say that. _"So what should we do while we're waiting for midnight?"_

"_Why don't you go look around? I'm sure there will be nothing wrong with looking around at this time of the night. There are still many who are awake and walking about."_

"_I don't think there's anything interesting to look around here, though,"_ I muttered. Although I was aware that there was a Pokémon Gym here, I had a feeling that there wasn't much to look at.

"_Oh? Why don't you go to the museum, then?"_

"_There's a museum?"_ Pochama's eyes lit up. _"Where?"_

I was little curious. _"Is that so?"_

Natio nodded and pointed to a historical museum. _"There are many historical objects in the museum. There should also be fossils displayed in there too."_ Pochama seemed pretty interested, but I wasn't as much. _"Besides, I need to meditate to concentrate on my power to transform you back. I cannot have any interferences or worries."_

After a sigh, I left our spot. _"Alright then. Let's go, you blue penguin."_

"_Stop calling me that, will you?"_ Pochama followed me to the museum of Shippou City. _"Geez, is talking to Hikari-Chan that important to you or something?"_

I stopped in my tracks and slightly lowered my head. _"This time, it is."_ The sound of many footsteps and sounds filled up our silent atmosphere. _"I think it's time for me to tell her what I've wanted to tell her."_ I turned my head to Pochama, but I kept my gaze somewhere else. _"You know what I mean, don't you?"_ Then, I looked at him. _"I'm sure you already know."_

Pochama crossed his arms and averted his gaze. _"Of course I know. I already know Hikari-Chan's feelings and yours."_ He puffed out his chest. _"C'mon, I mean, I'm just awesome like that, you know?"_

"_Yeah, whatever."_ Before I went in the museum, Pochama stopped me again.

"_Wait."_

"_What?"_

Pochama slightly hesitated. _"Let me just say one thing,"_ he paused, _"It's gonna take you a while to get me to fully accept your feelings for Hikari-Chan, okay?"_ He gave me a smirk.

I smirked back. _"Got it."_ With that, we went in.

~.~.~

It was finally a few minutes before midnight and we went back to our rendezvous spot.

Natio was already prepared to transform me. Pochama and I exchanged glances as I stepped in front of him.

"_Are you ready, Shinji?"_

"_I'm more than ready,"_ I replied.

"_Then, let's get on with this."_ He opened all his wings and glowed brightly. I shut my eyes and waited for my body to change back. I began to stand upright, my legs grew longer, my front limbs grew into arms, and the slightly long mane I had grew into my purple hair.

When I opened my eyes, Natio was looking up at me and Pochama was looking at me with a shocked expression.

"I'm… back to normal…"

"_Remember that this will wear off tomorrow at midnight, okay?"_ Natio reminded me.

"I know, Natio. Thanks."

"_I'll be on my way to another city now. Good luck."_ With that, he flew away.

I sighed and stretched my arms and legs. "Alright, you blue penguin, I want you to spot anything that looks like a Luxio's feature. I always have some feature of Luxio's when I transform back into my normal self again." I bent down lower. "Is there anything abnormal from my usual appearance?"

Pochama raised a brow. _"Yeah, this whole appearance is abnormal."_ I stared at him with deadpan eyes. He suddenly squinted as he looked up at me. _"Wait… did you normally have gold-yellow eyes?"_

"What?" I kept my voice low. "I have gold-yellow eyes?"

He nodded. _"Yeah, take a look at the bubble."_ He shot a bubble near me and I looked at my reflection. My face was distorted, but I saw glowing gold eyes glaring right back at me.

"Geez… What am I going to do now?" The bubble popped and some water drops splashed onto my face. "That Troublesome Girl will definitely notice that something's wrong."

"_Why don't you just make up some excuse?"_ Pochama tapped his foot against the grass. _"Why don't you try saying that you stared at a Pokémon's eyes or some kind of weird ore and it turned your eyes into a gold color? It might be a little weird, but she might believe it."_

I blinked. "That might work, but don't you think those are retarded excuses?"

Pochama was suddenly taken aback. _"Wait, wait, wait… If you're back into a human, how come you can still understand me?"_

"Even though I'm a human, I still have the ability to understand the Pokémon." I picked up my bag and slung it over my shoulder. "Come on, we have to register a room in the Pokémon Center."

We made our way to the center and registered a room there. I sat on the bed while Pochama hopped onto a chair.

I opened my bag and took out the outfit that Hikari made. She made a sleeveless and hooded purple jacket along with a dark blue T-shirt. The jacket was black from the hood to the middle of the back. Of course, dark jeans were included.

I remembered when I saw Hikari's hands covered in bandages yesterday night. I felt a bit concerned to see that she was working this hard for me.

"_Hey, Shinji?"_ Pochama called out. He pointed to the clothes in my hands. _"Why don't you wear them? You should see if there's anything wrong with the measurements."_

"Hn." I went into the restroom and changed into my new clothes. But when I took my shirt off, I saw two gold rings on my wrists. My brow twitched as I glared at it. _Ugh… this is troublesome…_ I put on the T-shirt and the jacket. I also wore the dark jeans.

"_You done yet?"_

"I'm done."

"_Well, come out already, so I can see you!"_

I hesitated, but I went out of the restroom. "I'm not so sure about this."

Pochama examined me for a while. He nodded occasionally and I heard him mutter to himself a few times. _"Hmmm… Well, you look fine. The clothes seem to fit too."_

"Again… How did she know my measurements…?"

He shrugged. _"Who knows…? Her mind can be a mystery even to me."_ Pochama stifled a yawn. _"So what do you plan to do tomorrow when you're talking to Hikari-Chan?"_

"There's one thing…" I smirked at the idea that was forming in my head. "But you'll have to wait until tomorrow morning." I rubbed the back of my neck as I gazed at the full moon outside. "Go to sleep. You'll need the energy for tomorrow."

"_You should go to sleep too. I'm pretty sure you'll have to use the time you have tomorrow until you turn back into a Luxio."_

"Yeah, I know." I changed back to my usual turtleneck and pants before I went on the bed. When I looked at Pochama, he was already asleep on the chair. I smirked and got up. "You can be just as troublesome as her, you know?" I laid him down on the chair and covered him with a light blanket.

With that, I went back to bed and slept through the night.

~.~.~

_**In the morning…**_

The chirping of Mukkuru woke me up. I glanced at the clock, only to find that it was near eight. I got up from the bed and changed into the clothes Hikari made.

Once I finished, I looked over to the sleeping blue penguin. He was fast asleep and I'm pretty sure that it'll be hard to wake him up like that Troublesome Girl. I walked over to Pochama and shook him.

"Oi, wake up." I sighed as I shook my head. "If you don't wake up in the count of three, I will leave you here and go back to Sanyou City alone."

"_I'm up, I'm up!"_ Pochama jerked himself awake. _"Geez, you shouldn't bluff like that in front of me, you know."_

I smirked. "Then how else am I going to get you up?"

Pochama rubbed his eyes and hopped off the chair. _"Alright, let's go call Hikari-Chan!"_ Right when he scrambled out of the room, I grabbed his flipper. _"Hey, what are you doing? Let me go!"_

"This is more interesting…" I slung my bag over my shoulder and walked out of the room. When I approached Joi-San, I gave her the keys and made my way to the video phone. Pochama was still squirming in my grip and yelled at me to let go of him a few times.

I dialed the number to the video phone in Sanyou City's Pokémon Center. Sanyou's Joi-San picked up.

"Hello! May I help you?"

"Joi-San," I started, "I need to speak to a girl named Hikari. Is she there by any chance?"

Her eyes lit up. "Oh! Hold on!" She went away from the screen for a while. A minute later, Hikari appeared in the screen.

"Shinji!" she exclaimed. "Is that really you?"

I sweatdropped when her eyes were shining so brightly. Geez, was she that happy to see me?

"Yeah, it's me." I held up the squirming Pochama. "And apparently, this blue penguin was in Luxio's bag while he was coming here." Hikari twitched and a drop of sweat rolled down her cheek. "Care to explain, Troublesome Girl?"

"U-um…" Hikari shifted her position. "W-well, I-I just… you see…"

I slightly glared at her as if this was irritating me. Well, the fact that Pochama was still yelling at me did irritate me a little. "Hurry up. I don't have all day." But I did. I had all day to talk to her.

"I… I just wanted Pochama to sneak out with Luxio so I can distract Jun from leaving Sanyou City…"

"Oh?" I raised a brow. "That's your excuse?"

"N-no…"

Pochama pecked my hand, which made me release him. A vein popped in my head as I tried to ignore the small pain that was throbbing in my hand. _I will kill you when I turn back to a Luxio, you stupid penguin._ "Oh, by the way… Thanks."

Hikari's eyes slightly widened. "What?"

I gestured at the clothes I was wearing. "Thanks… for the clothes." I rubbed the back of my neck. "I'll send Luxio back with my old clothes at midnight. Is that okay with you?"

"O-oh, y-yeah, of course." Her face turned slightly pink as she lowered her head.

An awkward silence ensued between us. I… felt like I was waiting for something. But what was I waiting for exactly? "If that's all you want to sa-…"

"… love you…" I heard a very quiet murmur.

I blinked as I stared at her red face. "What?" Was this what I was waiting for? "Hey, Troublesome Girl…"

"I love you, Shinji!" She looked at me eye-to-eye, her face completely red! "I… I love you. That's what I've wanted to tell you…" Hikari averted her gaze to another direction.

Even though I already knew, I was still a little surprised. I didn't think she'd say it like that. "You… love me?"

Her bangs covered her steaming face. "Y-yeah… Look, Shinji, I know that you probably don't feel the same about me, but… but that's how I feel about you." She nervously rubbed the back of her neck. "It's sudden, I know. We probably might not have known each other a lot, too." Hikari took a deep breath. "But I want to know your feelings too. Do you like me too?"

I stared at her for what seemed to be the longest moment. I smirked as I lowered my head. "Well… I can't say no."

"Shinji…"

"It's true. I want to return your feelings." I averted my gaze somewhere else. "It must be weird for you, since someone like me is…"

Hikari shook her head. "N-no, of course not! It… it makes me really happy!" She gave me a bright smile. "I'm glad that I got to meet you again Shinji, I truly am."

"Hey…" I muttered. "I heard from Luxio that you're a Pokémon Trainer and a Coordinator. Plus, you got the Sanyou Gym Badge."

"Y-yeah, I did! What do you think?" She looked at me with a determined look. "My main goal and dream is to be a Master Coordinator like my mom, but I want to try the journey of a Pokémon Trainer." Her deep blue eyes shined. "It felt really cool when I got my first Gym Badge. Is this how you felt when you first got yours?"

I shrugged. "Somewhat like that."

Pochama tugged on my pants. _"Hey, let me talk to Hikari-Chan!"_ I sighed and held Pochama up to the screen. _"Hikari-Chan! The plan worked, right?"_

"Pochama!" Hikari called. "It was a success. Thanks a lot, Pochama." She gave him a thumbs-up. "Oh yeah, that reminds me. Where's Luxio?"

"Luxio's walking around town. He probably doesn't want to be with your penguin after he found out that _he_ was in my bag." I lowered Pochama down from the screen. "Also… about that day at the Suzuran Conference… the morning before the battle between Satoshi and me…" I couldn't find the right words to tell her what I wanted to say.

"Oh, you mean that day when you told me your problem with Satoshi?"

A drop of sweat rolled down uncomfortably at how quickly she replied. "Yeah, that morning… Thanks for listening to me. I probably told you about my problem with Satoshi because I felt… secure around you. You may be troublesome…"

Hikari's brow twitched. "… You've called me that before…"

"… but you listen to others with full attention." I stood still, looking the other way.

"You're welcome," she replied. "I'm glad that I was able to listen to you. To tell you the truth, I've… liked you since that morning. I saw a new side to you, you know? I realized that… you're not actually that harsh. You also have a part of you that's kind and… well… pretty cool."

I smirked at her remark. "Kind? I don't think that's how you'd put it."

She giggled. "I'm not sure. I just know you do." Silence then ensued until she broke it once again. "Um, Shinji, when do you think we can meet in person?"

Geez, why did I have a feeling she was going to ask that? Fortunately, I prepared an answer for this.

"We can meet in person after spending some time after Luxio evolves into Rentorar (Luxray)." I knew that it was going to be a while before I, as Luxio, evolve into a Rentorar. I was also sure that I would evolve back to normal after spending some time later. But this was the only way to avoid Hikari from meeting me in person so quickly. "What do you think about that?"

Hikari smiled a little sadly. "That's probably the best idea. Plus, you can see how I raised your Kolink to Luxio to Rentorar." She nodded firmly. "Alright, here's my part of the deal. If you're in the audience or trainers in the Isshu League, make sure to watch me, okay? Watch me once in a while when I perform in the Pokémon Musicals too."

I also nodded. "Sure."

"Oh, I forgot to ask…" She scratched her head. "Why aren't you competing in the Isshu League this time? I heard that you didn't take a Badge Case or a PokéDex."

"Well…" I started. "I'll tell you someday. Right now isn't the best time."

"Alright, I'll be waiting, okay?" She suddenly squinted and looked closer to the screen. I sweatdropped again, expecting her to ask about my eyes. "Shinji, what happened to your eyes? Were they originally yellow?"

I averted my gaze to another direction. I had no choice but to go with Pochama's plan. "How should I know? I might've stared at a Pokémon's eyes and got like this."

Hikari blinked. "Oh… Wow, that's pretty cool. Your eyes remind me of your Luxio's! Maybe you stared at his eyes or something?" She burst into giggles. "You look so different without those midnight black eyes of yours."

"Hn, whatever…" I sighed. _It worked…? What the hell? _I thought.

Pochama suddenly pecked my leg as hard as he could with his Peck attack. I gritted my teeth and hissed.

"Shinji, are you okay?"

"By the way…" I held up a retorting Pochama. "… Make you sure you tame this damn penguin of yours."

~.~.~

_**Later on…**_

Hikari and I already got off the phone. I'm sure she already told Jun that Pochama was with me. She told me that she'll call me again after dinner, so I'll have to be in the Pokémon Center at night. After that, I'll have to become Luxio again.

I looked at the sun and concluded that it was around noon. Pochama's stomach growled loudly. I stifled a smirk and a chuckle when he glanced at me. "Let's go." We went inside a café to get some lunch. We were led to a table out in the patio. The waiter handed me a menu.

"Hello! Would you like our special lunch course? It's very delicious!""Why don't you decide?" I showed Pochama the menu. He pointed at a picture. "We'll get the soba noodles." Plus, it was a good price. The waiter disappeared behind a door. It took a while before he came back out with our lunch.

We ate our cool-served lunches. An accordion player was nearby playing a soothing tune.

After we finished, I paid for the noodles. We exited the café and looked around. We went around Yaguruma Forest (Pinwheel Forest).

"_Help me… Help me…"_ I suddenly heard a weak sob.

Pochama heard it too. _"Come on!"_ He forced me to follow him and we came upon a badly injured pink Pokémon. _"Hey, what's wrong?"_

"_S-scary team… took me… away from home… They beat me…!"_ the Pokémon cried. I kneeled to the ground and opened my bag. I took out a Potion and treated the Pokémon.

"_Calm down! Calm down! Tell us your name!"_

"_I'm… I'm M-Munna…"_ she stuttered. _"I… I was taken from Sanyou City. This… this group of people just… grabbed me and… and…!"_

I sighed and petted it. "They're gone now. You don't have to be afraid anymore." Ugh, it looks like that Troublesome Girl got to me…

Munna looked up at me and jumped into my arms. She cried her fear out as much as she can. I wasn't really fond of this, though. Yes, I'm aware that I did… push my Pokémon to the extreme. I guess something changed.

"Come on, let's get out of here." Pochama and I took Munna out of Yaguruma Forest to the Pokémon Center. Joi-San healed Munna to full health and gave her back to me.

"You must be very caring for your Pokémon, aren't you?" Joi-San chimed. She gave me a smile.

Pochama crossed his arms. _"Pfft, yeah right… If you ever see him as a caring person, you're wrong."_ He glared at me while I glared back at him. _"Well… maybe not _entirely_ wrong."_

I rolled my eyes. I'm pretty sure he was referring to how I care about Hikari. Munna floated over beside me. "Thank you, Joi-San." We left the Pokémon Center with Munna still floating beside me. "Hey, so when are you going to go back home?" I stopped walking.

Munna also stopped. _"U-um… Well, I don't want to go alone. Is it okay if I can be with you for a while?"_

"Fine." We went around Shippou City. We even went into the museum again. Munna seemed to be curious of the artifacts and stones in the museum.

"_Hey, Shinji…"_ Pochama tugged on my pants. _"I have a feeling Munna might want to come with us…"_

I nodded. "I know. Maybe I should tell her, just in case."

"_We should ask her first, though."_ We approached Munna. _"Hey, Munna. What do you plan to do after you're back home?"_

Munna turned around and floated around for a while. _"Oh, I've been thinking about that for a while. I was wondering if I can come with you guys."_ We were silent for a few moments. _"Is that… not okay with you?"_

"Um, Munna, we need to talk to you outside." We went out of the museum. "You know how I'm human?"

"_Yeah."_

"This is only temporary. You see, I'm originally human, but I've been turned into a Pokémon." Munna cocked a brow, who was obviously showing confusion. "Natio had turned me into a Pokémon. I can only turn back temporarily on full moons."

Munna nodded. _"Oh, is that so? Are you traveling alone?"_

"Actually, no." I shook my head. "I'm traveling with this girl named Hikari and another guy named Jun. They don't know that I'm actually… _me_."

"_That sounds pretty interesting. Are any of those two your owner?"_

I was silent. Hmmm… I knew I was a Pokémon, but the thought of an owner had never crossed my mind. Speaking of owners, I better be careful not to get caught by a PokéBall. "I wouldn't say that they're my owner, but Hikari takes care of me. It's up to you, but I recommend being Hikari's Pokémon."

"_What's wrong with, um, Jun?"_

"Well, do you like a lot of training?"

Munna shook her head. _"No, not really. I don't think I want to get hurt anymore…"_ She slightly trembled. _"Actually, I don't think I'll be able to battle for a while…"_

Pochama placed his flippers on his waist. _"No need to worry, Munna! Hikari-Chan is a really nice girl and I'm sure she'll do her best to take care of you!"_ He then glanced at me. _"Besides, Shinji even likes her. Now, considering his personality, I'm pretty sure that explains everything." _

She laughed. _"Truthfully, his aura told me too. I think being Hikari's Pokémon would be nice. May I join your team?"_

I smirked. "Of course. But remember not to tell anyone else."

"_No problem!"_

We looked around a little more until it was sunset. There wasn't much to do. A few trainers battled me. It turned out that Pochama wasn't as useless as I thought. He was stubborn and refused to give up.

Hn, I wonder where he got that from.

Anyways, when the sun was setting, I figured that I should head back to Sanyou City. "We're going back to Sanyou City." I turned to Munna. "Are you sure you want to come with us?"

Munna nodded firmly. _"Mhm, I'm definitely sure I want to go with you guys. Traveling sounds really fun!"_ She floated around us happily.

Pochama cheered. _"Yay, we got a new friend!"_ He skipped beside me as we walked back to Sanyou City. If I took about three to four hours to Shippou City, we should be able to make it within midnight.

"Tell me when you're tired. I won't be able to stand that Troublesome Girl's nagging if you're exhausted," I muttered.

~.~.~

Two hours had passed since we started walking. We were able to see only a speck of the top of the sun across the horizon.

"_Can we please rest already?"_ Pochama drawled. _"Aren't you a little exhausted too, Munna?"_

"_I guess a little."_ She turned to me. _"Can we rest for a few minutes, Shinji?"_

I shrugged. "Fine." We found a small hill of grass nearby and rested there. A cool breeze blew in the dusk. I enjoyed it while I still had the chance. Thinking back, I realized a lot of things while I was with Hikari and Jun.

I realized how it feels as a breeze passes you as you're resting.

I realized that Hikari still strived to become a Master Coordinator, even if she wanted to try a Trainer's life.

I realized that Jun trained his Pokémon like how I do – just a little kinder than me, I guess.

Pochama wasn't as useless as I thought he was.

There were a lot of experiences like that.

But the most important realization was…

I've grown to love Hikari.

I think that was the most unexpected though.

We went on our way again to the city that was only one to two more hours away from now. Munna and Pochama were engaged in a conversation, while I was just staring at the stars.

My bag felt much lighter compared to when I was just a Luxio. I should carry my bag with me nowadays. It's troublesome for _her_ to start digging through it for something.

A smirk tugged on the corner of my lips as I remembered Hikari and my conversation this morning. I wouldn't say it was bad, but it wasn't too pleasant either. Pochama and she got into an argument again, and I was just watching them go at it from a bench.

But today was the day I did tell her that I love her back. I have a feeling tonight and tomorrow might feel like a long time…

We finally arrived to Sanyou City. It was also half an hour before midnight too. I found a nearby grove of trees to hide in. Munna and Pochama followed me into the grove. "We'll have to wait here for a while. I'm going to change back into a Luxio at midnight."

"_Well, thank Arceus!"_ Pochama retorted. _"My legs are completely numb, thanks to you! Do you always walk this much all the time?"_

I stared at him with deadpan eyes. "I'm just sure you're not used to it because that Troublesome Girl carries you too much." I smirked as his beak hung open. "You should start walking on your own from now on."

He stuck his tongue out at me. _"Whatever…!"_

Munna giggled. _"You two sure get along."_

"We…"

"…_don't…"_

"get…"

"…_along…"_

"… at all."

After what seemed to be the longest half hour of waiting, it finally struck midnight. My body suddenly glowed brightly. "… Looks like it's begun…" My ears and tail popped out as a mane grew on my head. My hands and feet became paws while my arms and legs shrunk. I now stood on four legs with my new clothes gone and my bag on my back.

"_Hn, well, that didn't as long as I thought. Let's go."_ I turned around and headed to the Pokémon Center. Pochama and Munna followed behind me.

"_Whoa, that was really cool,"_ Munna whispered.

"_I know, right?"_ Pochama whispered back. _"You should've seen him when he turned back into a human. It was really interesting."_

I rolled my eyes. _"I get it. Me transforming back into a human and a Pokémon is interesting…"_

Pochama chuckled. _"Come on, admit that you think it's pretty cool."_

I hated to admit it, but he wasn't entirely wrong. It was interesting, actually…

We approached the back of the Pokémon Center. _"Munna, what moves do you know?"_

Munna blinked. _"Oh, I know Hypnosis, Psychic, Dream Eater, and Calm Mind."_ She tilted her head – um, no, her whole body – to the side. _"Why, do you need something?"_

I nodded. _"I want you to use Psychic to carry this penguin up there."_ I pointed to the balcony on the second floor. _"Do you think you can do it?"_

She looked up then at Pochama. _"Of course! I've carried heavier things before!"_

Pochama stared at Munna. _"… Okay…?"_

I jumped to the balcony using the tree as a boost. I checked the room to see if anyone was awake. Jun was definitely sleeping. I couldn't see Hikari, but I was sure she was awake. _"Alright, you can come up."_

Munna floated up to the balcony along with Pochama beside her. They landed next to me as I walked in the room. When I looked to my left, Hikari was sitting on her bed.

"Welcome back, you two!" she whispered. Her eyes then landed on Munna. "Oh my gosh, who is this Pokémon?" She hopped down from her bed and took Munna in her arms. "Hi! Did you come with Luxio and Pochama?"

The pink Pokémon nodded happily. _"Yeah! I want to travel with you, Hikari! May I?"_

Hikari giggled as she held Munna up. "Of course you can. The more, the merrier, right?" She looked at Jun, just in case she might've waked him up. She took us outside with her PokéDex. "Let me scan you first, so I can get to know you better." She scanned Munna and she came up in the PokéDex.

_Munna, the Dream Eater Pokémon. Munna can eat the dreams of people and Pokémon._

_When it eats a dream, it can project them by emitting Dream Mist from its body._

"Wow, you can project dreams? That's amazing!" she squealed. Pochama seemed equally amazed.

I tugged on her pajamas. _"Try not to let her battle for a while. She's been through a tough time…"_ I was sure she couldn't understand me, so I used gestures to follow up.

"Oh, is that so?" she asked Munna.

Munna looked a little sad. She slightly trembled as she nodded. _"I'm sorry… I might not be of use all the time…"_

Hikari shook her head. "No, no, it's okay." She hugged Munna. "You can battle whenever you feel like it, okay?"

"… _She's so warm…"_ Munna whispered.

When I looked at Pochama, he already fell asleep… on the floor. I smirked as I approached him. I grabbed his blue cape and placed him on the bed. _"Like I said… try walking on your own from now on."_ With that, I went back to Hikari.

"Alright, Munna." Hikari took out a PokéBall. "Welcome to my team!"

Munna clicked the button with her head. She was enveloped in a red light as she went inside the PokéBall. The button blinked a few times, but it stopped. She was finally in Hikari's team.

"This is great! I got a Munna!" she quietly squealed.

I gestured her to get back to bed. _"I'm sure you waited for a long time."_ Hikari agreed and crawled into her blankets, tucking Pochama along with her.

"Thanks, Luxio," Hikari whispered. "Because of you, my feelings got to Shinji. I'm… I'm really happy…"

I felt warmth creeping up to my cheeks as I looked at her soft expression. I gave her a small smirk.

"_It's not because of Luxio…_

_You told yourself; I told myself; We told each other."_

~.~.~

_A/N: Okay, I'm not exactly sure if this chapter was very satisfying… If there's anything you want me to add or so, please tell me. I wanted to make this chapter the very best I can make._

_Well, I think I should call a little celebration because… *pop pop*Mystique has finally reached its half point of the whole story! 8D Yayyyyy! I thank you all for your support! ^^_


	13. Everything Begins

_A/N: Well… let me just say that I do not like the CSTs. " They take time away from Ichi and me so we can't write our stories. Fortunately, they're finished now. I can finally update this story! 8DD  
By the way, I saw that some of you noticed that this story should be more in Shinji's POV, right? You're completely right. xD I'm going to be writing more of the chapters in Shinji's POV, so rest assured!_

_Hmmm… Just in case some of you guys think we're Japanese, we're not Japanese. xDDD We are Koreans! :3_

_Note: Choroneko/Purrloin, Kidachi/Hawes, Aloe/Lenora, Minezumi/Patrat, Meguroco/Sandile, Haderia/Herdier, Miruhog/Watchog, Shikijika/Deerling _

**Mystique****  
CH ****13****:**** Everything Begins **

"What?" Jun shouted. "You caught a Munna? When?"

Hikari sweatdropped, laughing nervously. "Well – uh – it's a long story, really…" She looked down at me, her eyes asking me for help. "Um, you see…" Ah, I guess she doesn't want to say she's been secretly meeting me, huh? I simply smirked and pretended to ignore her. Hikari pouted as Jun pressured her to answer him.

"Hello? Can you hear me?"

"Munna joined me last night. Luxio must've become friends with her and she must've wanted to join us," Hikari explained. "Remember when we went to the Dreamyard? Didn't we see some Munna and Munsharna there?"

Jun crossed his arms and nodded in comprehension. "That's true…" He shrugged, brushing it off now. "Whatever, I still caught myself an awesome-looking Choroneko (Purrloin)!" He even called Choroneko out to show us. "This kid tried to steal my stuff, but it looks like I caught him!"

"Choroneko may be cute, but I guess he still can be mischievous," Hikari nervously giggled.

I looked at how Choroneko looked like. His body was mainly purple with some white areas around the legs, neck, shoulders, and hind paws. He had green eyes with long, tapered violet markings above the eyes. Also, the tip of his tail reminded me of a scythe.

"Choroneko," Jun called, "He wasn't here yesterday, so let me introduce you to him. This is Luxio, Shinji's Pokémon… um, sorta…"

Hikari took out Dodaitose's PokéBall. "And this…" She threw the PokéBall in the air and out came my Dodaitose. "… is Shinji's Dodaitose." She petted his shell, grinning. "He's Shinji's very first and strong Pokémon."

I sat next to Dodaitose.

"_Hi Choroneko,"_ Dodaitose greeted. _"Like they said, I'm Dodaitose and this is Luxio."_

"… _Hi."_

Choroneko gave us a smile. _"Hiya. I hope we can be good friends!"_ He gave us an innocent and enthusiastic smile.

"_You shouldn't be playing games with us,"_ I muttered. _"I already know your true nature, anyways."_ I smirked at Choroneko's surprised reaction. _"It's a little too obvious, don't you think?"_

The Pokémon smirked back. _"Heh, you're quite the clever one, aren't you?"_ His scythe-like tail wagged in satisfaction. _"Hn, it's about time someone noticed my tricks. You're a good guy, dude."_

I heard a snort from Dodaitose. When I looked up, I saw him slightly trembling. A vein popped in my forehead, realizing that he was trying not to laugh. _"Dodaitose, it's not funny."_ Choroneko tilted his head, showing confusion. _"It's nothing. Anyways, it's nice meeting you… I guess."_

"_Same here,"_ Dodaitose added. Hikari then returned him back to his PokéBall.

Hikari returned Pochama to his as she looked at Jun and me. "Alright, guys! Let's go!"

"Hell yeah!" Jun exclaimed. "We need to hurry and go to Shippou City!" He grabbed Hikari's wrist and proceeded to go to the said city.

"Oh, wait a minute…!" She approached me and petted my head. "You must be exhausted from yesterday's trip, aren't you?" she whispered.

I just shrugged. It wasn't that big of a deal. I've walked miles and miles by foot, so this shouldn't be any trouble for me. _"I'll be fine. Let's just go already."_ I smirked as Hikari pouted at me. _"Come on."_

"Geez, Luxio…!" She walked beside me, her pouty mood changed into a happy one. "Thanks again for yesterday, Luxio. I really appreciate it." Hikari scratched me behind the ears… again, which I began to enjoy. Ugh, the life of a Pokémon can be difficult at times…

~.~.~

Shippou City was only about two hours away. However, Hikari couldn't walk any further.

"Jun, I don't want to walk anymore!" she complained for the third time. "We've been walking for…" she paused to check her Pokétch, "… for three hours, non-stop!"

"Hey, I was just trying to catch a Pokémon that caught my eye! Can't I catch a Pokémon of my own too?"

Hikari's brow twitched. "You tried to catch that Pokémon for _half an hour! _I told you it was a bad idea to try catching that Pokémon!" She sighed, a vein still throbbing in her forehead. "Besides, you couldn't even catch it. We wasted half an hour of this trip to Shippou City…"

Okay, that was it. I could not hear her complain any more. I used Discharge on her, messaging her that we were only an hour away. She fell on the ground, her hair frizzy.

I smelled some smoke coming from that blue skirt. _"… Hm, maybe that was too strong…"_ I shrugged it off when Hikari sat up.

"Kyaaah! My hair!" She dug through her bag, desperately looking for a brush. "Arceus, I feel like I have another Pachirisu here!"

I smirked, remembering that hyper Pachirisu of hers. _"Hey, you did compare my Discharge when we first met, right?"_ She kept brushing her hair until it was all down. Jun, meanwhile, was looking at his Pokétch, wondering when we can finally go back on the road.

"You better hurry up in 5 minutes or I'm gonna fine you!"

"Shut up, Jun!" Hikari retorted. She gave him a glare and went back to brushing her hair.

… _Maybe I shouldn't have shocked her. She would've walked even if she complained anyways,_ I regretfully thought. I sighed, waiting by the cool grass.

~.~.~

When we arrived, we immediately went to the gym. Apparently, the gym was somewhere inside the museum. Huh… Who would've known…?

We looked around the museum, searching for the gym. I didn't really think you could see it this easily. Suddenly, a simple man wearing a suit and glasses approached us.

"Hello, may I help you with anything?"

"Um, yes," Hikari replied, "We're looking for the Shippou Gym. We heard that the gym was in this very museum."

The man snapped his fingers. "Ah, is that so? Are you all Pokémon Trainers?"

Jun and Hikari exchanged looks before nodding. "Yeah, so that means there's a gym here, right?"

"Of course!" The man chimed. "Oh! Let me introduce myself!" He gave us a bow. "My name is Kidachi (Hawes), the assistant director of this museum!" He readjusted his glasses before continuing. "The gym leader is fortunately open for a gym battle, so I will gladly take you there." While he guided us through the museum, he chuckled. "And you know, the gym leader just happens to be my wife!"

We were certainly a bit surprised. He led us to the back of the museum, which was a huge library of various different books. _"This is… probably the biggest library I've ever seen…"_ I muttered.

Hikari marveled at the amount of books. "Wow, these sure are a lot of books. They must probably have books about everything in the world!"

"Well, I must thank you for that, young lady!" a voice sounded from the other side of the library. The voice came from a dark-skinned woman wearing a pink apron. "You must be Pokémon Trainers, right?" Jun and Hikari nodded. "Well, I'm Aloe (Lenora) the Shippou Gym Leader!"

Kidachi waved to her. "Hi, dear!" He gave us a smile. "So like I said before, Aloe is my dear wife!"

"It's nice to meet you, Aloe-San!" Hikari greeted. "My name is Hikari and I'm from Futaba Town."

"Well, hi there, I'm Jun! I'm from Futaba Town too!" Jun also greeted. "We both came for a gym battle!"

Aloe chuckled. "My, I can see that very well, young man!" She then noticed me and crouched down. "Oh, this is quite a fierce-looking Luxio you have there!" She grinned as I sweatdropped. "Is he yours, young lady?"

Hikari scratched her cheek. "Well, I wouldn't really say he's mine… It's more like a wild Pokémon that followed this trainer named Shinji."

"Huh, is that so?" she asked. "That's very interesting." She stood back up and led us to another door. Kidachi placed his hand on a sensor and the doors slid open.

I raised my brows. There was another library? Wait, something felt suspicious. I watched Aloe-San to see what she was going to do.

"Wow, another library!" Jun exclaimed. "Dang, you sure have a lot of books, Aloe-San."

"Well, this archive has everything you'd want to know about Isshu, whether it's history or culture. These are valuable books and research papers, of course." She tapped on Jun and Hikari's shoulders. "Why don't you read something about Isshu before our battle? Knowledge is important for many different things, even for Pokémon Battles."

Jun groaned. "What? I wanted a battle, not read books!"

Hikari sighed, shaking her head.

"I just want to have a gym battle already!"

Aloe laughed. "Well, that's the whole purpose of bringing you kids here." She crossed her arms, giving them a somewhat confident look. "You see, the only people allowed here are either researchers or Gym challengers. I'm sure you'll know what you have to do now, right?"

I knew what they had to do. They had to pull a book out of a shelf and that would trigger a switch to reveal the battlefield! _Hn, that's pretty clever…_

The Gym Leader walked towards a bookshelf, pointing to a particularly thick book. "I recommend this one, though! It's a really good book to read."

Jun pointed at Aloe. "Hey! I know what you're planning, Aloe-San!"

Aloe-San tilted her head. "Oh? You do?"

"Yeah!" His head jerked from column to column. "You're trying tip me off from finding the real switch, right? Well, I'm not falling for that!" He speeded throughout the archive, looking for some book.

"Jun, what are you looking for?" Hikari asked.

"There should be a book about Shippou Gym! I just know that there'll be a switch there!"

While he was looking for the Gym section, Hikari rolled her eyes. "Geez…" She walked to the book that Aloe recommended. "It was this one, right?" She pointed to the thick book.

Aloe nodded, smiling. "If you want to read it, go ahead."

"_Pick that book, Hikari. That's the switch,"_ I said.

Hikari tipped the book over to get it out, but instead… a click was heard and the ground slightly shook. Hikari yelped in surprise and staggered back. Fortunately, I held her up. The bookshelf moved to reveal a staircase!

"You got it, young lady!"

Jun poked his head from a bookshelf. "What? You got it already?"

"So how did you know that that was the book?"

Hikari shrugged. "To tell you the truth, I just thought it'd be great to read a book about Isshu that you'd recommend."

"It looks like we got another straightforward trainer today, right?" Kidachi asked Aloe.

Aloe chuckled whole-heartedly. "We sure do. That other trainer, Satoshi, was quite the straightforward one too, wasn't he?"

I perked up at the name. _"Satoshi challenged this gym already?"_ I smirked, knowing that he must've defeated her.

"Satoshi already challenged you, Aloe-San?" Hikari asked. She seemed surprised, despite that we already knew that Satoshi was in Isshu. "Did he defeat you?"

"Yes, he did!" she replied. "Do you know him?"

Hikari nodded. "Of course! I used to travel with him back at Shinou. Jun was his rival, though." She looked at an enthusiastic Jun. "What's up with you right now?"

Jun grinned. "Well, I'm just glad that I'll be able to challenge Aloe-San now."

Aloe placed her hands on her hips. "Well, I think I got what kind of trainers you are."

"I'd really like to know what kind Jun is…" Hikari muttered. We started walking down the stairs.

"What I got is that Jun is quite the hyperactive one and jumps into things rather recklessly. Am I right?"

Hikari was silent, blinking. "Wow… You couldn't have said it better…" Her eyes then beamed. "Oh! Oh! What about me?"

"I got that you're quite the unique one. Is this your first time as a Pokémon Trainer, by any chance?"

Jun put his hands behind his head. "Yeah, she's actually a Pokémon Coordinator, but she decided to try being a Trainer." He shrugged. "She's not that good, though."

"This is still my first time, so I'm nervous!" They soon faced a brightly lit room where the battlefield was out in the open in front of them. "Aloe-San is a Normal-Type Gym Leader, right?"

"My, did you research about me before coming here?"

Hikari slightly stuck her tongue out. "Well… a little… I don't know what Pokémon you use, but I heard that your Pokémon are pretty strong!"

Aloe scratched the back of her head bashfully. "Aw, I'm flattered! Well, I believe that my Pokémon are strong. The question is, do _you_ believe your Pokémon are strong?"

She nodded confidently. "Of course they are!"

Right when she was about to say something, Jun interrupted her. "Oh yeah, Hikari, I'm going to battle Aloe-San first!"

Hikari blew a few strands of her hair away. "Yeah, yeah, do what you want, Jun." She sighed, but gave me a look that said 'no choice, right?'. "Aloe-San, you don't mind if he battles you first, right?"

"Of course not, I'm totally fine with it."

Jun and Aloe prepared to battle. As much as I liked to stay, I had to take care of something outside. I nudged Hikari's leg, trying to get her attention.

"What's wrong, Luxio?" She bent down to my eye level. "You need something?"

"_Yeah, I need to borrow Munna and Pochama for a while. Is that okay with you?"_

Hikari nodded and took out two PokéBalls. "Munna and Pochama, right?" I nodded and she called the said Pokémon out of their PokéBalls. The two looked at her confusion. "Luxio said he wants to talk to you guys."

Then they understood as they turned to me.

"_So what is it that you want this time?"_ Pochama yawned. _"I was still sleeping in there…"_ He tried blinking his sleepiness away.

Even Munna yawned along with Pochama. _"Shinji, is there something wrong?"_

I sighed, shaking my head. _"Maybe some sunlight will snap you two awake."_ I led them out of the library and outside the museum. _"Remember when Pochama and I saw you alone in that forest, Munna?"_

Munna nodded, slightly trembling. _"Y-yeah, I remember…"_

"_You see, right when I took you away, I noticed some strange-looking people giving me looks."_ I tried to remember what they looked like. _"I think there were a few people dressed in gray uniforms. They were somehow glaring at me."_

"_Th-that's right!"_ Pochama exclaimed. _"I saw that too! But I thought they were just some creepy gangs like Team Rocket!"_

Team Rocket…? That rang a bell… Where did I hear that before? _"Anyways, something gave me a bad feeling about those guys."_ I cautiously looked around us. _"Let's try looking for them… or any signs…"_ What was this bad feeling?

With that, we started looking for anything suspicious. Pochama and I kept close to Munna, though. Who knows what would happen if I left Munna with Pochama alone? _"Found anything yet?"_

Pochama shook his head. _"Not yet… Maybe those guys already left this place or something."_

I had the same thought, but that same bad feeling kept tugging at me. _"If only I could evolve into a Rentorar (Luxray)…"_ I muttered under my breath. After what seemed to be about an hour of looking around, we didn't find anything that was strange. We came back to Yaguruma Forest, where we first found Munna. _"Maybe it's okay to go…"_

However, right when I said that, two suspicious-looking people in strange garb appeared. "We finally found you, Munna!"

Munna whimpered and floated behind Pochama. _"I-i-it's… th-them…"_ I saw her tremble frantically, as if she wanted to shake her fears away. I've seen that before.

I glared at the two people. _"Who are you and what did you do to Munna?"_

One of them gave me a small smile. "Will you please give us that Munna?" He extended his hand out, as if he was expecting me to just give her to him. "You see, she got lost in this forest yesterday and we came back for her. That Munna's ours."

Pochama stomped a foot forward. _"No, she's not! You're just trying to get her for your own bad purposes! There's no way I'll hand her over to you!"_

My glare hardened to another level. _"You think I'll believe you?"_ That nearly got the man wincing. I smirked coldly, my tail slowly swishing back and forth in amusement. _"You'll have to get through me if you want her."_

The other one stepped up to me and that was a woman. "We need her back, Luxio. May we take her back?" When her hand attempted to pet me while the man was going to take Munna, I slapped the man's hands with my tail and snarled at the woman. "Looks like you won't give her up peacefully, huh?"

I slightly smirked. _"What did you think, lady?"_

"Hn, no choice then," they both murmured. They each took out a PokéBall and sent out a rodent-like Pokémon and a reptile-like Pokémon. "Minezumi (Patrat), Meguroco (Sandile), defeat those two and get Munna back!"

They charged towards Pochama and me.

I prepared to attack, while Pochama was standing there not knowing what to do. _"Hey! Use water attacks on that Meguroco! I'll take care of that Minezumi! Wait until I tell you to attack!"_

"_Alright, I got it!"_

The woman pointed at us. "Minezumi, use Crunch on that Pochama!"

"_Like I'll let you…"_ I murmured. I spun in circles around Minezumi before it had a chance to attack. While I left it panicking, I used Spark on it. Minezumi immediately fainted on the ground. The woman returned it back to its PokéBall, while the man sneered at the woman.

"Meguroco, use Sand Tomb at that Luxio!"

Pochama jumped into the air. _"Ha, in your dreams!"_ A whirlpool formed at his beak and he threw the whirlpool at Meguroco. It was caught in the attack and swirled along with the water. When it burst, Meguroco had fainted.

"_That was a bit of overkill, but it's better than nothing,"_ I whispered.

The two people returned their Pokémon and glared at us. "You haven't seen the last of us!" With that, they disappeared into the shadows.

Pochama attempted to chase after them, but I stopped him from doing so. _"They probably aren't the only ones here, but we might've scared them off a little. There's no point in chasing after those guys."_ I turned to Munna, who sighed from relief. _"You'll be okay?"_

Munna gave us a small smile. _"I guess so. Thank you so much for protecting me…"_

I scrutinized the surroundings a few more times and deemed it safe. _"I don't think they'll be chasing you for now. Let's go back."_ We went back to the gym, where Jun and Hikari were waiting inside the museum for us.

Hikari first noticed us. "Pochama! Luxio! Munna!" She ran up to us, crouching down. "Geez, where were you guys? I was getting so worried…!"

Jun then came over. "Hey, you three. Where'd you wander off to? You guys totally missed me defeating Aloe-San!" He showed off his badge case, where the second badge was placed in the second slot. "Looks like you're battling her tomorrow, Hikari."

She nodded. "I know. I should start making strategies for my battle." Hikari glanced at us. "Aloe-San has two Pokémon: Haderia (Herdier) and Miruhog (Watchog). They're both Normal-Types, but they still have a secret up their sleeve. This time, I'll go with Shikijika (Deerling) and… and…" She looked at Pochama and me.

Pochama stepped forward, pounding his flipper against his chest. _"I'll battle, Hikari-Chan!"_

Hikari giggled, patting Pochama's head. "That's very brave of you, Pochama. But you see, Miruhog knows Thunderbolt so you'll be at a type disadvantage." She then looked at me. "Luxio, do you want to try battling against Aloe-San? You may not be my or Shinji's Pokémon, but I still want to battle with you."

I thought about her words for a moment. I just shrugged. _"Why not? It'll be good to catch up to being a human again."_

Pochama was rock solid and the color drained out of him. His jaw hung open as he fell on his side. _"… I hate you, Shinji…"_

His reaction made me smirk. _"Better luck next time, penguin."_

"_Stop calling me that, dammit!"_ he retorted. _"Gah, forget it!"_ He crossed his arms and jerked his head to the side. _"Hmph!"_

I chuckled. _"Right, right."_

~.~.~

_**The evening…**_

We already registered a room in the Pokémon Center, and were searching for anywhere to eat. I still remembered that there was a diner nearby, so I led them there. It was a little crowded inside, so we decided to eat outside in the patio.

"Wow, Luxio. You must've been wandering here a lot while I was battling." Jun looked at the menu.

"I like this café," Hikari remarked. "It has a really nice atmosphere and the food looks really good too!" She also took a look at the menu. "What are you gonna eat, Jun?"

Jun shrugged. "I dunno. Maybe I'll just go with the steak." He took a second glance at the price. "On second thought, it's a little pricey… What about you, Hikari?"

She hummed, flipping through the pages of the menu. "I think I'll just get curry. You should order quickly before you start complaining." They let out their Pokémon before dinner arrived. "We'll eat as soon as Jun makes a choice, okay?"

They all nodded and conversed while waiting for Jun. A waiter came outside to take our order.

He finally put the menu down. "I'll just have the omelet rice."

"Alright, I'll come with your orders as fast as I can." The waiter left and we waited while listening to an accordion nearby. After a few minutes, the waiter came in with a cart of Pokémon food along with Hikari and Jun's food. "Here you are." He gave us a bowl of Pokémon food and gave Hikari and Jun their ordered meal.

I started eating, suddenly remembering how I first reacted to eating this… food. I was so hesitant in eating it back then, but now, I actually ate it like it was normal.

"_Hey, Shinji?"_ Dodaitose called. _"How are you doing nowadays?"_

"_What do you mean?"_

Dodaitose chewed on some Pokémon food. _"How are you doing with your Pokémon life nowadays?"_

I sighed, staring at my almost-empty bowl. _"I can't say it's going good or bad, but I'll get used to it somehow."_ I finished the rest of the food and rested on my underside. _"I guess you can say that I realized that there are more things to Pokémon than I thought."_ My brow twitched. _"But, there are also things I thought weren't possible about Pokémon."_

He chuckled. _"Let me guess… Pochama?"_

I smirked as I shrugged. _"Maybe you too, Dodaitose."_ I looked up at my Pokémon. _"I never would've thought that you were actually this kind."_

Dodaitose laughed nervously. _"I get that a lot, don't you think?"_

~.~.~

We went back to our room in the Pokémon Center. Hikari, Shikijika, and I were going over battle strategies. It took a while for us to get her words right, but everything made sense in the end.

When we were done, I decided to go take a night walk. I still needed to figure out why those guys were after Munna. Unfortunately, it seemed as if I was too deep into my thoughts. I crashed into someone's legs and fell. _"Watch where you're going…!"_

"Ah! You!" A hand extended towards me, but I took a step back. "W-wait, I'm not going to hurt you." I looked up to see a green-haired boy with a concerned look. "I just want to talk with you."

I narrowed my eyes in suspicion but followed him anyways. Silence ensued between us as he took me near Yaguruma Forest. _"What do you want with me?"_

"You're being used."

I cocked a brow. _"Excuse me?"_

The boy crouched down to my level. "Those two trainers, especially that female trainer, are only using you for nothing but battles and data. Can't you see that?" I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Who was this guy? "Luxio, right?" I nodded slowly. "My name is N Harmonia. I've seen your power when you battled those two Plasma grunts."

"_Plasma? What the hell is that?"_

"Team Plasma. It's a team of people who wants to free Pokémon from humans."

"_You… can understand me?"_

N nodded. "Of course. I can hear all Pokémon's voices and understand them by heart." He suddenly started to tremble and I saw tears flowing down his cheeks. "Everywhere I go, so many Pokémon are being used for the human's sake!"

I had to admit, I was feeling awkward. _"So… what are you trying to say here?"_

"I want you to be free. You do not deserve to be used!" He stood up and gave me a worried look. "I can't stand watching more and more Pokémon getting hurt."

"… _What did you just tell me?"_ I growled. _"Used? Hurt? Don't make me laugh."_ I glared at the green-haired boy. _"There's no way I will separate myself from that girl, no matter what. Besides, I'm not even a captured Pokémon."_

N looked surprised. "You… You're not captured?"

I shook my head. _"I'm not. I'm just a Luxio that followed a trainer and moved to another trainer to follow. You got a problem with that?"_

His shoulders slumped, looking confused now. "I don't understand. Why would you rather follow them instead of freeing yourself from their clutch?"

I bared my fangs this time. _"You make them sound like horrible people. You know, there are many trainers out there who treat their Pokémon kindly like they are their own friend and family. Those Pokémon, even me, love those trainers."_ I slightly sighed. I knew I was never that trainer I just described. But now, I felt I knew what other Pokémon felt like. _"If you even _try_ to separate me from her, I'll never forgive you."_

N took a step back. "You're quite a strange Pokémon."

_That's because I'm originally a human,_ I thought. _"Hn, glad to know."_ I noticed him step into the Forest. _"Going away?"_

"For now. I'll have to… rethink about the future I envision." He disappeared into the darkness of the forest. "But I'll be back."

I took a final look into the forest before heading back to the Pokémon Center. I decided to keep what happened that night a secret. Even when I fell asleep, his words continued to ring in my head.

… _Free Pokémon from humans… You're being used… so many Pokémon are being used for the human's sake!_

Who was that strange, green-haired boy named N?

~.~.~

_**The next morning…**_

I woke up early – a little too early – and waited for Hikari and Jun to wake up. I still couldn't get N's words out of my head. What did he mean by he was going to be back?

Sighing, I walked outside of the room and stood at the veranda. The sun was about to rise, giving the sky a blue and orange hue. I felt my tail slightly point up. For some reason, the same bad feeling from yesterday tugged at my chest again. What was it this time…?

After a few hours, we went back to the museum for Hikari's gym battle.

Aloe was waiting for us as the back of the library. "Are you ready for your gym battle, Hikari?" She gave her a big smile. "I'm looking forward to our battle – especially since you're just a beginner at the Pokémon Trainer class."

Hikari took a deep breath. "I'm looking forward to it too, Aloe-San!" We went downstairs and arrived to the battlefield. Aloe and Hikari stood on opposite sides of the battlefield and prepared for the gym battle.

Since I was going to be battling, I stood beside her.

Aloe looked at me, tilting her head. "I hope I'm not being rude," she started, "but where's the trainer that that Luxio followed?"

I looked up at Hikari, seeing a smile on her face. "Oh, Shinji? He's traveling around Isshu, but we can only contact each other through the video phones."

"Ah, I see. Did that Shinji ask you to take care of Luxio for him?"

"Yes, he did. But I don't think he'll mind if I battle with Luxio in gym challenges…" She took a glance at me, whispering, "… right?" I stifled a chuckle, only smirking at her. "What?"

"Alright then, which Pokémon will you use first?"

Hikari took out a PokéBall. "Shikijika, Charm Up!" Shikijika appeared in a flash of light. "Alright, Shikijika, this is your very first gym battle. Let's do our best, okay?"

"_Alright! Let's do this!"_

"Shikijika, huh?" Aloe took out a PokéBall. "Then, I'll use Haderia!" The dog-like Pokémon appeared in a flash, howling. "Make your move, Hikari."

"Charge towards Haderia!" At the command, Shikijika ran towards Haderia. "Stop!" Shikijika slid to a stop, "Double Kick!" She quickly kicked Haderia twice, throwing him back. "That was great!"

Haderia got up, slightly staggering back from the fall. _"That's one powerful kick you got there."_

Shikijika smirked. _"Thank you!"_

Aloe smiled, looking satisfied with Hikari's move. "Haderia, Shadow Ball!" Three small shadow balls formed before Haderia's mouth before he shot them one at a time. Shikijika suddenly panicked, not knowing what to do.

"_Hurry up and give her a command!"_

Hikari smirked. "Duck! Dodge to the side! Jump!" With those, Shikijika managed to dodge two, except the last one. Shikijika was knocked back when she jumped, taking some damage. "Are you okay, Shikijika?"

She only nodded. _"I can go on! Let's keep battling!"_

"Then use Double Kick!" Shikijika charged towards Haderia, attempting to kick him once again.

"I'm not falling for that again!" Aloe exclaimed. "Haderia, Protect!" A green dome hovered over and around Haderia, protecting him from any attacks.

"Shikijika, surround Haderia with Energy Balls!"

I cocked a brow. _Shikijika learned Energy Ball? Did Hikari do all that training while I was gone…?_ I smirked, suddenly reminded of Satoshi's Dodaitose. _"Hn."_

Shikijika released Energy Balls one at a time, surrounding Haderia like a vortex. Aloe seemed clueless to what Hikari was thinking.

"Let's go! One more Energy Ball at the front!" Shikijika aimed the last Energy Ball at the outside wall of Energy Balls. Once it had hit the wall, Haderia was hit with several of those balls.

Haderia endured them, but he was on the verge of going down.

Aloe looked shocked. I don't think she expected an attack strategy like this. "Haderia, use Roar!" It was useless. The attack from Shikijika was preventing Haderia from using Roar. Besides, I wasn't even a captured Pokémon. How would he drag me into the battle, really?

There were three more Energy Balls left. Hikari took this opportunity to give the final blow. "Shikijika, Double Kick!" When the last Energy Ball hit Haderia, he was met with two quick kicks. Haderia fell to the ground, his eyes swirling.

"Haderia is unable to battle! The winner is Shikijika!"

Hikari beamed at the first victory. "We did it! We did it!" Shikijika skipped to Hikari, who gave her a huge hug. "Shikijika, you were amazing! I knew you could pull it off!"

Shikijika nuzzled against Hikari's chin. _"It's thanks to you too, Hikari-Chan! I wouldn't have pulled it off if you hadn't trained me!"_

"Now you deserve a good rest." Hikari took out Shikijika's PokéBall and returned her to it. "Thanks for the help." She shrunk the ball and looked at me. "Ready, Luxio?"

I took a deep breath. Honestly, I thought this was ridiculous. I was a _human_, yet I was having a gym battle in a Pokémon body. Does anyone else feel that that is strange? I made my way to the center of the battlefield, where I was met with a fierce-looking Miruhog.

"_May the best Pokémon win."_

"Miruhog, Low Kick!"

Hikari perked up. "Wait for it, Luxio!" I did as she said and only watched Miruhog speeding towards me. Right when he bent down low, Hikari smirked. "Luxio, jump on Miruhog!" I leaped from the ground before Miruhog tried to trip me. The moment I landed on him, Hikari called, "Discharge!"

"Oh no, you don't!" Aloe exclaimed. "Miruhog, brush Luxio off and use Confuse Ray!"

Miruhog rapidly shook his whole body, causing me to fall off him. The next thing I knew, five golden orbs were surrounding my upper body. I couldn't escape it. They circled around me and the orbs grew larger. They exploded into a bright light.

"Luxio!" I heard her call.

I could barely see anything! I couldn't see where I was going. The world was spinning and so many colors were blinding my sight! Shit, where is that Miruhog?

"Low Kick!"

I gritted my teeth, trying to sense where Miruhog was going to come from. But it was no use. I was out of balance and kept wandering around. I felt myself in the air for a half second and fell to the ground.

"Luxio, please! Snap out of it!"

"It's no use, Hikari!" Jun exclaimed. "Luxio's confused!"

I knew she was hesitating to give me a command. But right now, I was too confused to even think.

"Keep using Low Kick!" Miruhog attacked me from every direction. I kept getting hurt everywhere.

"Luxio, use Discharge!" Hikari screamed. "Scatter it!"

"_Alright, I got it already!"_ I tried to focus on the battle from the blinding lights that clouded my vision. I spotted Miruhog. _"Discharge!"_ I relaxed my body while releasing Discharge. The bolts scattered everywhere. I just knew I hit Miruhog because I heard some screaming somewhere near me. I used the sound to charge towards it.

The lights began to fade and my vision stopped spinning. I slowly snapped out of my confusion. When I found Miruhog, I smirked. _"You're dead."_

Jun shouted in relief. "Hikari, Luxio isn't confused anymore! Get Miruhog!"

Hikari nodded, giving me a determined look. "Bite!"

I bared my fangs at Miruhog, attempting to bite him. However, something felt different. I felt energy flowing to my fangs. My body was surrounded by yellow sparks as I bit him. Then he was surrounded with sparks. Miruhog shouted in pain.

"Miruhog!"

Hikari and I looked a little surprised for a second. "That was…"

"… _Thunder Fang…"_ I muttered under my breath.

Miruhog was having difficulty getting up. It looked like my new Thunder Fang gave him a lot of damage.

"Miruhog, use Thunderbolt!"

I smirked, knowing that using Thunderbolt was going to give me the advantage. But then again, they could use it as a distraction. I just had to take the risk. He released a strong electricity blast at me. I stuck my tail out, taking the Thunderbolt like a lightning rod. The electricity ran throughout my body and I felt _charged_.

"Luxio, use Discharge!" Hikari commanded. "This time with 100% accuracy!"

With the extra energy, I released a powerful Discharge. It all became one huge bolt, aiming towards a panicking Miruhog. Before he could even escape, he was hit and fainted.

"Miruhog is unable to battle! The victory goes to Hikari-San from Futaba Town!"

Hikari gasped. "We… won…?" Her eyes began to shine so brightly that I was reminded of my confusion back then. I walked over to her, where she gave me a hug. I got slightly startled, but it was expected. "Luxio, you were _so_ great! That was an amazing battle!"

Aloe approached us, holding a badge to Hikari. "Congratulations, Hikari. For your victory, you earned yourself the Basic Badge." She held up a rectangular badge that resembled a purple book's spine.

"Thank you so much, Aloe-San!" Hikari took the badge and placed it in the rightful slot in the badge case.

"So what do you think about the life of a Pokémon Trainer?"

Hikari smiled. "I find it fun, actually. But honestly, I love Pokémon Contests much better." She giggled, tucking her badge case inside her bag. "I just wanted to be a Pokémon Trainer because… I guess you can say I want to be acknowledged by someone."

Aloe chuckled. "Is that so? Well, I wish you good luck!" She placed her hands on her hips. "And you said you are a Coordinator, no?" Hikari nodded. "I'm sure you heard about Isshu's Pokémon Musicals, right?"

"Oh!" she gasped. "Yes, I also wanted to try that out! It looked very fun to do on television!

"Why don't you give it a try? Although there aren't Musicals scattered around Isshu like how Contests are around other regions, there is one in Raimon City."

"Raimon City?" Hikari took out a map, looking at the contents. "Oh! We're not too far from here then!" She folded it back up and put it inside her bag again. "Thank you for the battle, Aloe-San!"

Aloe nodded, giving us a smile. "It's no problem at all! I had fun battling your Pokémon. I'm sure your and my Pokémon did too." She took a step towards us. "Oh, let me heal your Pokémon for you." After we bid her goodbye, we went outside the museum.

However, right when we stepped outside, _he_ was there. He stood in front of the entrance of the museum, staring intently at Hikari and Jun. He then looked at me, curiosity overtaking his eyes.

I still remembered his words from yesterday night. I growled, preparing for any attack.

Jun tilted his head. "Who's this guy?"

Hikari glanced at me then at the guy in front of us. "I… think Luxio knows him…"

The green-haired boy approached us. "Hello."

"Hi!" Hikari greeted with a smile. I jumped in front of Hikari and Jun, growling louder this time. _"Step away from them!"_

He tipped his hat up. "Your Pokémon…" he muttered while pointing at Hikari, "… Just now, he was saying…"

Jun's brows shot up in surprise. "Wait, you can hear him talking?"

"Oh, you can't hear him talking? Such a shame, isn't it?" The boy gave us a bow. "My name is…"

"_N,"_ I snarled.

~.~.~

_A/N: YES, IT'S TRUE! I FINALLY PUT N IN THIS STORY! *squeal* Well, well, it looks like Shinji's become protective! Aw, how adorable! *shot* xDDD _

_**Questions**_

_What did you think of Shinji's battle with Miruhog (Watchog)?  
Did N turn out good here? ^^"  
How was Hikari's gym battle this time?  
What do you hope to happen in the next chapter?  
Would you like to make suggestions for this story? :D _


	14. Liberation vs Bonds

_A/N: It seems that N and Shinji wants to battle. Oh boy… Anyways, like the title says… Which will win: the desire to free Pokémon or the will to be together with the person they love? The answer's pretty obvious, right? xDD_

_Note: Dokkora/Timburr, Otamaro/Tympole, Hiun City/Castelia City_

**Mystique****  
CH ****14****:**** Liberation vs. Bonds **

"_N,"_ I snarled. I couldn't believe it. N was here right in front of us. I had a feeling a battle was going to ensue. _"What do you want this time?"_

Hikari bent down to my level. "Luxio, why are you so angry?" She looked up at N, who gazed at her. "W-what?"

N approached us, bending down to Hikari and my level. I growled as I stepped in front of Hikari. "I want to see things no one can see. I want to see… the future where Pokémon are perfect. Don't you want to see it too?"

Jun's brows furrowed. "Huh? What do you mean?"

"The voices of captured Pokémon… Do you really think they're happy that way?" He took a quick glance at me. "I want to hear your Pokémon's voice." He stood up and took out a PokéBall. A Mamepato appeared in a flash of light.

"Well, if you catch a Pokémon and treat them like a close partner, of course they'd be happy!" Hikari replied.

The green-haired boy raised a brow. "Huh, I expected more from you." He smirked at her, and I got a bad feeling about that. "My friends and I will test you to see if you can see the future I desire to see."

I prepared to battle N. _"You're _not_ laying a hand on her."_

N blinked at me. "Alright, I'll start with you then."

Hikari looked like she was going to panic. "Wait, what's happening?" She looked from me to N. "L-Luxio?"

"Mamepato, use Quick Attack!" Mamepato folded his wings and charged towards me. Before I could even dodge it, Mamepato flew past me, giving me some damage.

I darkly glared at the boy before me. _"Hn, is that the best you got? You're not going to convince me to separate from Hikari."_

"Luxio!" Hikari cried out. She looked at N in shock. "What are you doing?"

N spread his arms out wide. "More! I want to hear the voice of your Pokémon!" He pointed at me. "Use Gust!" Mamepato floated above me. His wings glowed blue and waved streaks of wind at me. I prepared to dodge it and attack.

But I didn't need to. Hikari took out her PokéBall. "Togekiss, come out and take over!" Togekiss appeared in a flash of light and flew at the charging Mamepato. "Safeguard!" A large green barrier surrounded Togekiss and crashed with Mamepato. "Air Slash!"

Togekiss waved one of her wings around, a light blue ball of swirling energy forming at the tip of her wing. She tossed it at the stumbling Mamepato. The ball of energy hit Mamepato and he was flung to the ground. Mamepato fainted, swirls forming at the eyes.

N returned Mamepato back to his PokéBall. "Dokkor a (Timburr), it's your turn!" A Pokémon carrying a bar of wood appeared.

Jun took out his PokéDex. "A Dokkora?"

_It fights by swinging a piece of lumber around. It is close to evolving when it can handle the lumber without difficulty._

"Be careful with that Dokkora, Hikari! That thing will use that lumber to attack!"

Hikari returned Togekiss. She threw out another PokéBall. "Okay, thanks for the info! Shikijika, it's your turn!" Shikijika appeared into the battle. "You'll have to prepare for battle."

"_Alright!"_ Shikijika nodded as she looked at Dokkora.

"Shikijika, use Energy Ball!"

A green ball formed in front of Shikijika's mouth. She shot it at Dokkora.

"Dokkora, use Bide!" N commanded. Dokkora was surrounded in a white glow and he endured the attack of the energy ball.

Hikari knew what was going to happen. "Oh no… Shikijika, ready yourself for a huge attack! Try your best to dodge it when I say so!" Shikijika cried out in agreement. "Just keep shooting Energy Balls at Dokkora!" She continued to attack Dokkora with Energy Balls. "Wait for it…"

N smirked at Hikari. "Dokkora, go!" Dokkora channeled the energy into his lumber. He leaped into the air and raised it up to crush Shikijika down.

My eyes widened when Shikijika looked frozen from fright. Hikari was giving her a command but it didn't seem like it was getting to her! I rushed into the battle, pushed Shikijika aside, and prepared for the attack. Dokkora slammed his lumber on my back and I tried to bear with the intense pain that was going throughout me.

"_GAH!"_ I quickly cried out. I bit my lip to prevent any other painful shouts from escaping my mouth.

Hikari's eyes widened so much. "LUXIO!"

"_Damn it!"_ I got on my back and charged. I used Discharge and spun my body around. Streaks of electricity were scattered everywhere. It prevented Dokkora from getting to me. A streak of electricity hit him and threw him back. It wasn't enough to defeat him though. I thought I did enough to snap Shikijika out of her fright. _"Get yourself together, Shikijika!"_

"_S-sorry…"_ Shikijika quickly marched up to me and I stayed beside Hikari.

"Are you okay, Luxio?" Hikari asked. She got me to lie down and let Jun treat my injuries. "Shikijika, can you keep going?"

"_Yeah, I'm fine. I can keep going!"_ Shikijika reassured.

Hikari patted her on the head. "Alright, if you insist." She stood back up with a confident look on her face. "Shikijika, I want you to form three Energy Balls." Shikijika nodded and formed three Energy Balls, one at a time. They formed a triangle. "That's good. Now, can you use Double Kick to send them flying at Dokkora?"

"_My pleasure!"_ She galloped around and kicked one Energy Ball with great force. She then went to kick another and the last one. The balls went charging towards Dokkora with speed and power.

"Dokkora, use Low Kick to trip Shikijika!" N commanded.

The commanded Pokémon slid on the ground, kicking Shikijika down. She crashed into the pavement. However, the charging Energy Balls also exploded when they touched Dokkora. The smoke cleared to reveal both Pokémon in a fainted condition.

"Return, Shikijika!" Hikari returned Shikijika back to her PokéBall. "You did a good job. Thanks a lot for your help."

N also returned Dokkora back into his PokéBall. "You were great, Dokkora. Rest up." He took out his last PokéBall. "Otamaro (Tympole), it's your turn now!" Out came a tadpole-like Pokémon.

Hikari took out another PokéBall. "Tsutarja, let's show them what we got!" Her Isshu grass starter came out of the PokéBall.

Tsutarja crossed his arms and glared at Otamaro. _"Hmph, you'll regret messing with Hikari-Chan and Luxio."_

Jun kneeled down to me, getting his backpack out. "Geez, that was such a huge impact…" He inspected the injuries on my body. "Damn, how were you able to bear that, Luxio? You must be hurting like crazy!" He sprayed some of the Potion on my wound. I hissed from the pain. "It's alright now. You'll be fine in a few minutes. Just don't move too much right now."

The pain was really intense. I couldn't bear it anymore. I felt something warm pool around me. _"Dammit…!"_ I growled.

"Wait… Luxio…? Luxio…? Luxio!" Jun exclaimed. "Hikari, you go ahead and battle! I have to take Luxio to the Pokémon Center!" I felt him pick me up, but I writhed in pain. I took my chance to give N the deadliest glare I can manage. "Hang in there-!"

But… why did he have such a worried look on his face?

My vision faded to black.

~.~.~

I gained a bit of consciousness when my body felt light as a feather. It felt as if a soothing energy was flowing throughout my body. I didn't have enough strength to fully open my eyes. I only caught a glimpse of Shikijika next to me, along with Hikari.

"_Just a little more…"_ I heard Shikijika whisper to herself. _"Stay with me, Luxio. I'm using my Aromatherapy to heal your pain…"_ She looked like she was trying her best to help me.

I saw a blur of blue come closer to me. "Oh, Luxio…" She sounded like she was crying. "You took such a powerful hit…"

To be honest, I just wanted to smirk at her. _I'm not as weak as you think, Troublesome Girl,_ I thought. _If you're going to cry about this, you might as well start training me seriously._

Shikijika's power seemed to fade from my body. I felt more relaxed and the pain was disappearing quickly. _"That should be good enough, I hope."_ She turned to Hikari. _"I think he'll be okay now, Hikari-Chan. He just needs some rest now."_

"How's Luxio feeling, Hikari?" A familiar voice called out.

"Joi-San!" Hikari called. "He's feeling better. I'm so glad Shikijika used her Aromatherapy to heal Luxio." She wiped her tears away, rubbing Shikijika's head. "Thank you so much, Shikijika."

"_I owe him that for saving me after all,"_ she replied, _"It's the least I can do."_

"_Thanks, Shikijika…"_ I grunted. My eyes slowly opened up a little more. _"How long were you at this?"_

Shikijika sat next to me. _"Oh, don't worry about that. I'm just glad that I was able to help you for saving me back there."_ She cocked her head to the side. _"Are there any other places that hurt? I was only focusing on healing that wound of yours."_

My brows furrowed, wondering about my injury. _"How… bad is my wound?"_

She bit her lower lip, looking at where my back was. _"Um… uh… I wish I could say that it isn't that bad, but…"_ Shikijika shook her head in sadness. _"I couldn't fully heal your wound, so it's a scar…"_

I was slightly startled. _"Wait… was it a… _gash_?"_ I asked in disbelief. I tried to get up, but the pain came back. It still hurt. I hissed from the pain that was coming from my injury.

"_Oh, oh, oh! Shinji, don't move!"_ Shikijika whined. _"Your injury may be healed, but it still doesn't mean the pain's entirely gone!"_ She turned to Hikari. _"Hikari-Chan, Luxio's in pain again…"_

Hikari moved her chair over. "Don't move, Luxio. Joi-San said that you'll have to be in here for a few days before we travel again." She sighed and reached out for a towel. I heard the sound of water and then I felt something wet and cold touch my back. The cool water soothed the pain down.

The sound of a door shutting was heard in the room. "Hey, how's Luxio feeling?" It was Jun. It sure was rare for him to not scream and yell that he's in a hurry and has to get to the next gym. "I swear… The next time I see that green-haired guy, I'm going to beat him to a pulp!"

"Oh, calm down, Jun," Hikari sighed. "I'm sure he didn't mean to give Luxio that injury. I saw the look on his face as you carried him back to the Pokémon Center." She put a fresh cool towel on my back. "He looked like he was going to faint, which gave me the chance to defeat him. If he reacted _that_ badly, it's obvious that he really didn't mean to hurt Luxio like that."

Jun crossed his arms. "Right… I'm sure he didn't mean to let his Dokkora give Luxio such a big…"

"Shh!" Hikari hissed. "You're making too much noise." I felt her hand touch my back, like she was tracing something.

"_This is my fault…"_ Shikijika sniffed. _"If I didn't freeze up like that, you wouldn't have had to save me back there. I'm such a coward…!"_ She sounded like she was on a verge of crying. To be honest, I really didn't want to look at crying faces right now.

I sighed. _"It's not best to stay guilty, you know."_ I chanced a look at Shikijika, drops of tears forming at the corner of her eyes. _"If you're going to call yourself a coward, you might as well not battle anymore."_

Shikijika blinked her tears away. _"… You're right. I shouldn't keep feeling guilty and look forward."_

"_Alright, alright. I don't want to hear any more of this,"_ I groaned. _"Damn, this pain is really unbearable. How deep is the gash, anyways?"_

"_It's not too deep, Luxio,"_ a familiar voice replied. _"It's just a _really_ long gash…"_ I averted my eyes to see that blue penguin standing near my head. _"It's possible that it might've had an infection while they were treating you."_

I raised a brow. _"What, are you a doctor now?"_

Pochama put his flippers on his body. _"Hey! I'm just stating one of the possibilities that Joi-San told Hikari-Chan!"_ He stuck out his tongue at me. _"Now, why don't you be a good _Pokémon_ and get some rest?"_

"… _You must really want to die soon,"_ I grunted. _"Once I can get on my feet, you better believe that I'm coming for you immediately."_

"_I-I'm not scared!"_ he retorted. _"You can threaten me all you want. But since you're so helpless at the moment, I can tease you all I want."_

Hikari yawned, placing another wet towel on my back. "You can go back to our room, Jun. It's time for us to sleep."

Jun blinked at her. "What about you, Hikari? Aren't you gonna sleep too?"

She nodded, but she didn't look at Jun. She seemed… focused on me. "I'll sleep as soon as Luxio falls asleep. He might need something before he sleeps."

"Well… Alright then. Sleep as soon as you can, okay?" With that, he left the room.

"So… is there anything you need, Luxio?" Hikari asked. "I'll stay here until you sleep, okay?"

I let out a quick exhale before turning to Hikari. _"Don't. It's better for me if you go to sleep… in your room."_ I shook my head to follow it up. I gestured with my paw to go back. _"I'm going to sleep, so you should go back."_

Hikari slightly pouted. "Okay… if you insist." Before she left, she suddenly gave me a kiss on top of my head. "Good night, Luxio. Feel better…" When she left the room, I felt my body turning very hot.

_Troublesome Girl… Don't give me more troubles than what I have now,_ I thought. A vein popped in my forehead as I sighed. _"Alright, what the hell are you guys doing here? Shouldn't you go back with her?"_

Pochama, Tsutarja, and Shikijika climbed up on my bed.

Tsutarja crossed his arms and looked at me. _"Hn, you look pathetic – bandaged up like that."_ He smirked when I rolled my eyes at him. _"I'm here to keep watch."_

"_I'm here to heal you again, if necessary,"_ Shikijika added.

Pochama shrugged. _"I'm here to talk with ya."_ He looked at Tsutarja and Shikijika, who also looked back at him. _"Well, we pretty want to talk with you, anyways."_

I grunted in agitation. _"You are annoying. I'm in a bad mood right now."_

"_Well, someone's bipolar right now…"_ I heard Pochama mutter. I glared at him and gave him a _shock_. He fell from the bed and fell face-flat on the floor. _"HEY!"_ I smirked at the reaction. _"That was uncalled for!"_

"_How can I sleep with you screaming like crazy?"_ I groaned in irritation. _"If all you're going to do is talk, you might as well go back to that Troublesome Girl and sleep."_

Pochama placed one flipper on his body (Does he even have hips?) again, pointing at me with the other flipper. _"Did you really think I'd come here just to talk?"_ He walked over to the bowl of water at the foot of the bed. _"I was the one who suggested the water thing, you know."_ He used Bubblebeam to fill up the bowl with cool water.

"_Hn."_ I heard Pochama squeeze the water out of the towel and walk over to me. The wet towel was back on my back again. It soothed the remaining pain away. An image of N appeared in my head. I gritted my teeth, wanting to scratch his throat out. _The next time I see that bastard, he's in for a little torture,_ I thought.

"_I understand your need for revenge,"_ Tsutarja said,_ "but it's not the best idea to think about it right now. It'll probably stimulate you into getting up right now and go somewhere."_ His eyes glanced at the window near the door for a moment. But when he looked back, his eyes widened. _"Shit… Guys, _he's_ here!"_

We all looked at the window, where N was standing right behind it. My eyes also widened, but it was all from anger. _"YOU!"_

N entered the room and we prepared to fight him.

"I-I don't want to fight…" he stuttered. "I just want to apologize to Luxio. Is that okay?"

Tsutarja stared at N for a moment before cautiously moving aside. _"Fine, but if you try anything smart, I _will_ rip you to pieces."_ We watched N get closer to me.

"_What do you fucking want?"_ I hissed. _"Are you really here to apologize to me or are you here to give me more of that freedom crap?"_ I narrowed my eyes at him.

N looked even guiltier than Shikijika. "I'm sorry, Luxio. I didn't think Dokkora's attack would give this big of a g-gash." He bent down to meet my eyes. I looked away. "It's my fault, Luxio. I'm truly sorry. I know you won't forgive me, but hear my apology at least…"

I finally looked at him. _"You're right. I won't forgive you entirely, but I will accept your apology."_ I recalled that moment when Dokkora's lumber smashed into my back. _"You might want to check on your Pokémon's lumber, by the way."_

He looked a little confused. "Dokkora's lumber?"

"_Just get out before I change my mind about accepting your apology,"_ I hissed. I saw N stand up and head for the door.

"I'm still going to aim for freeing the suffering Pokémon, though," he quietly declared. "I'll even free all of you from your trainer's clutches."

That did it… That snapped the last nerve I had. _"GET THE FUCK OUT!"_ I snarled. N swiftly went out and disappeared into the darkness. Something began to throb in my injury _"Dammit!"_

"_Calm down, Luxio…!"_ The floral tuft on Shikijika's head began to glow and she touched my injury. The throbbing disappeared and I relaxed again. _"If you keep screaming at the top of your lungs like that, you really might open up your wound again. We just treated it, so you have to refrain from moving too much!"_

I put my head down, realizing that it was going to be futile to go after N with such a fresh wound. _"Fine. But you won't be able to stop me the next time I meet him."_

Pochama chuckled and Tsutarja smirked. _"Do you really think we'll try to stop you? You're not the only one who wants to beat him up."_ Shikijika smiled nervously at the two. _"That's another reason why we're here. We want to talk to you about how we should attack that guy next time."_

"_Yeah, it didn't seem like we'll see the last of him…"_ Shikijika looked worried. Even though I was sure that N didn't mean to hurt me this badly, it didn't mean he was after Hikari's and Jun's Pokémon to free them. He would probably do anything to free the Pokémon that were captured by trainers.

The night became quiet. I thought about what would happen tomorrow. Will we start moving tomorrow? Will I have to wait until my injury heals? No, that's not possible. I prefer going rather quickly through a journey. I hoped to start moving after a day or two. If not, I'd have to convince Hikari to move after a day – as long as Jun doesn't convince her first.

I felt Pochama put replace the wet towel with another one. _"This is the last replacement for tonight. I'm going to sleep, okay?"_ He yawned and crawled to the foot of the bed. _"You don't mind if I sleep here, right?"_

"_Hn, do whatever you want."_ I heard shuffling and after a few minutes, Pochama fell asleep.

Tsutarja hopped on the bed. _"How do you feel?"_

I lightly shrugged, closing my eyes. _"It doesn't hurt that much anymore."_ I suppressed a yawn and looked at Tsutarja, who seemed like he was holding himself back from sleep. _"Get some sleep. It won't do you any good if you can't do anything tomorrow."_

"_You sure?"_ he asked. _"You can never know if N might come back here."_ I shook my head. It was obvious that N won't come back _here_ anyways. _"Okay then. Good night."_ Tsutarja walked over somewhere and curled up.

Last was Shikijika, who kept drifting in and out of sleep. _"Shikijika, don't push yourself. Just go to sleep."_

She yawned and climbed on my bed. _"I know… Is there anywhere that hurts first?"_

"_No, I'm fine."_

Shikijika nodded in comprehension. _"Wake me up when you feel pain, okay?"_ She hopped off the bed and jumped to turn off the lights, enveloping the room in moonlight. She hopped back on the bed and slept.

All that was left was for me to sleep. I certainly did feel sleep trying to take over me. After thinking over what happened today, it exhausted me… for once. I sighed and gave in to my need of sleep.

What I didn't notice was something in the corner of the room, watching me.

~.~.~

My eyes slowly opened when I felt something move. What I saw nearly made me jump out of my bed. Pochama, Shikijika, and Tsutarja were all curled up next to me! Pochama's head was resting on my back. Shikijika was curled up between my front and hind legs. Tsutarja was somehow sleeping on my… mane.

A vein popped in my head. _"Where do you think you're all sleeping on?"_ I growled. The three didn't reply… They were still sleeping. _"Why are you even _on_ me? _How_ did you even start sleeping on me?"_ Since they were obviously sleeping, they couldn't hear me.

Another vein popped in my forehead. _"Get! Off!"_ I literally threw the three off of me and the bed. They fell on the cold marble floor.

"_Ow, ow, ow…"_ Tsutarja drawled. _"Hey, that was uncool, dude…"_

"_That hurt, Luxio…!"_ Shikijika cried. She hopped back on the bed and sighed. _"Geez, why did you throw us off the bed?"_

My eye twitched. _"Did you not realize where you were sleeping?"_

Pochama stood up, his flippers rubbing its head. _"Well, we didn't know we started sleeping on you!"_ He fell back on the floor and yawned. _"I don't think I'd want to sleep on your back, you know."_

I furrowed my brows in confusion. _"Plus, I don't think you're much a sleepwalker, considering I've never seen you walk while sleeping."_ We all looked at each other in surprise. _"If you guys didn't come near me, then… who put you guys on me…?"_

An eerie silence loomed over us.

Tsutarja crossed his arms, thinking about the possibilities. _"Well, I did somehow feel like I was being lifted during one point of my sleep. But I thought that was just a dream…"_ He looked at the other two. _"What about you guys? Did you feel the same thing?"_

Pochama yawned again. _"Nope, I was too sleepy to notice."_

Shikijika tilted her head in contemplation. _"Um… No, I don't recall anything… But I thought I heard something… jingling in the air. I just brushed that off as a sound from outside."_

I cocked a brow, standing up. Wait, why didn't I feel any pain? I looked at my back, where my scar was supposed to be. All I saw was a very faint scar on m back! _"… Something was here while we were asleep. That _thing_ healed my injury to a faint scar."_ I thought about what could've done it. The only thing that could do that was a Pokémon.

Let's see… There was something similar to a flying type and jingling. What could it be?

While we were still thinking about what happened last night, Hikari and Jun opened the door to the infirmary room. "Luxio, how do you feel?" I pointed at my back. "Whoa! Your wound healed so quickly!" Hikari gaped at the faint scar on my back. "H-how is that possible? You didn't have enough time to heal so fast like that though!"

Somehow, it felt like all the pieces of the puzzle came together. I wasn't fully sure if my guess was correct, but I thought I knew who helped me… and who put those idiots on me.

Jun kneeled next to me, examining my wound. "Wow, this thing healed fast! I think Luxio will be good enough to move around now!" He turned his head to me, smiling. "What do you think, Luxio? You think you can move around?"

I rolled my eyes. _"I'm sure I can move around perfectly now."_

"There you have it, Hikari. He's up and around."

Hikari sighed like it can't be helped. "Alright, alright… Let's continue our journey then." She got out three PokéBalls. "Pochama, Tsutarja, Shikijika, return." The three disappeared in a red light and into their PokéBalls. They packed up to head for the next city. I noticed Hikari staring at the injury on my back.

Right there… I was sure she was thinking, _What could've healed him so quickly?_ I wanted to know too. Maybe I might know everything soon.

~.~.~

Apparently, we were on our way to Hiun City (Castelia City).

"I hear that there are so many skyscrapers in Hiun City!" Jun exclaimed. "They say it looks more crowded than Yosuga or Tobari City!"

My ears perked up at the name of my hometown. So it's even more crowded than my own hometown? _Interesting,_ I thought,_ Then I wonder how crowded it is._

"Ah! Are you Hikari?" All of us wheeled around to see… Jun and my jaw dropped and looked at what we were seeing in disbelief. Hikari seemed more… spooked. "What? You don't remember me?"

I couldn't believe what I was seeing. There was _another_ Hikari? How many doppelgangers does she have? First was Princess Salvia, and now it's this person? I slapped my scar with my tail to see if this was a dream. No, it was not a dream.

"I… Is that…?" Jun stuttered, pointing at the person in front of us. "Why are there… _two Hikari?"_ He then screamed and proceeded to run away, but Hikari caught him by the scarf.

Hikari's eyes widened when the duplicate of her turned around, revealing a… tail? "I-is that you, Z-Zorua?" I walked over to the duplicate, looking up at her in shock. "Um, Luxio… If you grab his tail, you'll understand everything."

The duplicate of Hikari looked down at me. "Huh, you're a tough-looking Luxio, aren't ya?" He snickered at all of us.

A vein popped in my head and I grabbed the tail with mine. A pink light shined as the replica transformed into a small Pokémon. I looked at it with deadpan eyes. _"So _this_ is your original form? How pathetic."_

"Hey! At least I can use telepathy, which means I'm way better than you!" I averted my gaze somewhere else, hearing a snicker from him.

Hikari crouched to our level. "It's been a long time, Zorua! I haven't seen you since that time in Shinou!" She giggled along with Zorua. "What are you doing here?"

Zorua shrugged and looked at my shocked expression. He then leapt into the air and transformed into a replica of me (as a Luxio), which made my jaw drop even more. "Eh, I happened to be resting here. When I saw you pass, I thought I'd say 'hi'."

Hikari looked around as if she was searching for something. "Where's your mom?"

At that moment, Zorua's ears flopped down. "About that…" He sadly smiled at us. "I don't know… Maa told me that she'll be right back, but she didn't come back at all. I've waited for weeks for her, but she hasn't come back." I looked at the Pokémon that transformed into me. "I… have a feeling that nothing bad like an injury happened, but I keep getting a feeling that she was caught by a trainer or something."

Jun pointed at the replica of me. "But what are you doing here? Did you leave your home?"

Zorua nodded. "Y-yeah."

"But, I thought you loved that home, Zorua. Why did you leave it?"

"Celebi came back!" he exclaimed excitedly. "She told me to follow her, but she disappeared somewhere. That's how I came here." He looked around, hoping to maybe see that same Celebi. "Have you seen her by any chance? She should be around here."

That confirmed my guess of the mysterious Pokémon that healed me. _"Hn, Celebi was in the Pokémon Center."_

Zorua looked at me with a surprised look. "No way! Really? How?"

I recalled the time when I was asleep. _"I don't why Celebi would, but apparently, it looks like she healed my wound."_ I pointed to my faint scar with my tail. _"I got a gash from a battle yesterday, but I woke up to find a really faint scar."_

"…" Zorua walked over to me and examined my faint scar. After a few minutes, he returned to face me and smirked. "Yeah, that's Celebi's power. She must've used her time power to heal your wound."

Hikari and Jun exchanged looks and looked at my faint scar.

"No way!" Jun shouted. "Luxio got visited by Celebi?"

"That's so awesome!" Hikari squealed. "I'm so glad Celebi helped Luxio!" She also then looked around for Celebi. "But I wonder where she went. Maybe something happened?"

"Nah, I know she's still here. Her scent is really strong here!"

I rolled my eyes. _"Are you sure it's not because she might've touched my back?"_

Zorua shook his head. "Nope, I'm sure of it." He hopped around, looking for Celebi. "Hey, Celebi! Come out! They won't hurt you, I promise!" He then looked Hikari and Jun. "You're not gonna try to capture Celebi, right?"

The two shook their heads, even Jun. "We promise."

"Did you hear that, Celebi? They're just friends! The guy you healed is here too!"

Suddenly, I heard rustling in a tree nearby. My head jerked to where leaves fell on the ground. _"Celebi's in that tree, I'm guessing."_

Zorua started running up to the tree and climbed on top of it. There was nothing but silence at first, but we heard surprised screams. Out came Zorua tumbling down the tree and something green coming out of the leaves.

"Celebi!" Hikari called. "Hi, Celebi!"

Jun's jaw dropped as he took out his PokéDex. "No way! Is that the real deal?"

_Celebi, the Time Travel Pokémon. It has the power to travel across time, but it is said to appear in peaceful times._

The addressed Pokémon looked at Hikari and Jun. She giggled and flew around them. _"Hi hi! How are you guys?"_ She then looked at me. _"Oh! You're that Luxio I healed last night!"_ She floated in front of me. _"I saw your battle a while ago, and I thought I could help."_

I smirked at her. _"Well, you did help me immensely. If it wasn't for you, all of us would be stuck in that Pokémon Center for days."_ I bowed my head. _"Thanks for the help."_

Celebi giggled and twirled in the air. She flew inside the grove nearby and came out with two Oran Berries. She put one in front of me and Zorua. _"Here you go!"_

I looked at the small blue berry in front me. _"For me?"_

"_Of course! It's my gift to you!"_ Celebi chimed. Zorua took the berry and threw the whole thing in his mouth. _"You like it, Zorua?"_

Zorua snickered. _"Boy, do I! You're the best, Celebi!"_

I took a bite of the Oran Berry and continued eating it until there was no more. I felt more energized.

Jun was still wide-eyed at the sight. "Damn, if I knew Celebi was gonna come, I would've prepared a feast or something!" He crossed his arms. I was sure he was itching to reach for his PokéBall, but he knows a promise is a promise.

"But Celebi, why did you come to help Luxio? Don't you always appear in peaceful times, though?"

Celebi took a quick glance at me. _"Of course I do! But I came to find Zorua. It seemed peaceful where he was. I just happened to come across your battle…"_ She turned to Zorua. _"But… where's your mother?"_

Zorua began to look depressed again. "She… might've been captured, Celebi. I don't know what to do."

"_Oh no,"_ she gasped, _"I-I'm sorry! I shouldn't have asked!"_

"No, it's fine, Celebi!" Zorua reassured. "I got really happy when you came to find me!" He snickered and transformed into Celebi. "Really!"

Celebi smiled joyfully. _"I'm glad I made you happy, Zorua!"_ She then looked deep inside the grove. _"Oh… I have to go, guys. The Ripple of Time will close soon."_

"Oh, is that so?" He looked a little sad, but he shook it off. "Well, it was nice meeting you again. I'll see you next time, okay?"

"_Okay! I'll visit as soon as I can! Bye, guys!"_ Celebi flew off into the grove and disappeared.

There was only silence between us as we watched her go. Jun broke the silence first, still a little shocked that he saw Celebi. "So, you're Zorua, huh?" He crossed his arms. "My name is Jun from Futaba Town!"

Zorua snickered as he transformed into Hikari. "Well, it's nice to meet you, Jun."

Hikari turned red in the face. "Z-Zorua!" She started chasing her replica around, attempting to grab the tail sticking out of the top of the skirt. "Come back here!"

I sighed and jumped to grab the tail with my own. Zorua turned back into himself and snickered at Hikari. Then he transformed into Jun. "Haha, this is so fun!" he exclaimed, snickering again.

Jun's eyes went wide again. Then they beamed at his replica. "Whoa! That is so damn cool!" He grabbed Zorua's shoulders. "Now this is what I call an awesome ability!"

Zorua snickered as Hikari grabbed his tail. He transformed back to his original self. "Huh, I like you, Jun. I think I'll let you be my friend!"

"Um, Zorua, you see… We don't really have much time to play right now," Hikari sadly reminded. "We have to hurry to the next city."

"Aww…!" Zorua's ears flopped down, but suddenly, they perked up. "Hey! How about I join you guys?" Zorua excitedly asked. "Traveling doesn't sound that bad. I think it'll be fun messing around too!"

Hikari nervously laughed at the remark. "I-I see…" She crouched down again. "But are you sure?" When he nodded, she tapped her finger on her chin. "Then, would you like to be one of our Pokémon or would you prefer following us without being captured?"

"What the…? What's with the second question?" Zorua asked.

"_She's probably referring to me,"_ I muttered. _"I'm just a wild Pokémon that followed her throughout her journey. I'm not a captured Pokémon yet."_

"Seriously? No way!" Zorua exclaimed. "I want to try that!"

Hikari thought about it for a minute, but shook her head. "I don't think we can, Zorua. You're a bit of a rare Pokémon, so it'll be bad if someone tries to catch you."

"_She's got a point,"_ I agreed. _"I might be rare here in Isshu, but I doubt they'll be able to catch me."_ I smirked at Zorua, who looked like we got a point.

"Wait, so you followed Hikari this whole time?"

"Oh, not really," Hikari answered for me. "Luxio followed this trainer named Shinji at first. Then, he decided to follow me." She dug through my bag and got out my Shinou PokéDex. She clicked on some buttons and showed it to me and Zorua.

It showed a full body picture of me. "I'm Dexter, a PokéDex programmed by Professor Araragi for Pokémon Trainer Shinji of Tobari City. My function is to provide Shinji with information and advice regarding Pokémon and their training. If lost or stolen, I cannot be replaced."

Zorua got a good look at me, that's for sure. Want to know why? As soon as Hikari put my PokéDex back, Zorua transformed into me! My jaw dropped as a huge vein popped in my forehead.

"GAH!" Hikari shrieked. Zorua snickered, looking at me. "Geez… Zorua!"

Jun laughed his heart out. "Oh man! This is so funny!" He looked like he was going to cry from too much laughter. "Dude! Did you know that Hikari likes Shinji?"

Hikari and my eyes widened at Jun. "J-JUN!" Hikari cried. "Oh, stop embarrassing me, for Arceus' sake!" Even _I_ wanted to say what she was saying!

"Oh? Hikari likes this guy? He looks so serious, though." Zorua mischievously smirked at her. I was horrified at what I was seeing. I saw expressions on my face that I never thought I'd be making. "Is that so…?" He slowly walked over to her. "I wonder what would happen if I did… this…" He cupped Hikari's face and… slightly closed in on her cheek!

My jaw hung lower than ever. My instincts kicked in and I rushed to grab Zorua's tail. He turned back into himself. My face was red and so was Hikari. _"HEY!"_

Zorua snickered and began laughing smugly. "Oh! Oh! Oh, my side! It hurts! Your reactions were so funny!" A vein popped in Hikari and my heads. "Uh-oh!" She started chasing him around and around while I held down my urge to attack Zorua.

"ZORUA!"

Jun pursed his lips together, watching the chase. "Grr… Oh, come on!" He stomped his foot on the ground. "Can we please go already? We need to go to our next gym!" He pointed at Zorua. "Hurry and choose the person you want to be with, will ya?"

Zorua sniggered again. "You sure are pushy, huh?" He smirked at Jun. "I think I'll go with Jun. He seems like a tough guy."

I rolled my eyes and smirked. Well, Hikari almost had a full team. She should let Jun get some opportunities to catch Pokémon.

"No way!" Jun laughed. "Ha, well… You better be prepared, Zorua! My training is really tough!"

"I don't care! I'm totally strong! I'm sure I can handle your training!"

"Now, there's the Zorua I know…" Hikari laughed with a sweatdrop.

Jun took out a PokéBall and glanced down at Zorua. "Ready?" They both nodded to each other. "Alright, let's go!" Jun threw the PokéBall in the air and Zorua leapt up. He clicked the button with his tail and a red light enveloped him. He was taken inside the PokéBall, which fell into Jun's hands. It flickered and moved around for a while, but then it stopped.

Hikari smiled at the PokéBall in Jun's hands. "Congratulations, Jun!"

"Hell yeah!" He pumped up a fist. "I caught a Zorua!"

I smirked at how excited Jun was. It looked like we got a new member to our team… but I had a feeling that it was going to be more troublesome with Zorua around.

Suddenly, N's words echoed in my ears. _I will free the Pokémon from the trainers' clutches… Are Pokémon really happy that way… _I looked at the cloudless sky and thought, _There are Pokémon who wants to join a Pokémon Trainer of their own will, too. You really don't understand all Pokémon, do you?_

We headed to Hiun City, the city of skyscrapers.

~.~.~

_A/N: O_o" Holy shiz, Shinjiiii! Why did I decide to give him a gash? Well, I think a scar would look cool on him. xDDDD *shot* And I hope I did a good job with adding in Zorua and Celebi. :3_

_**Questions**_

_1. How was this chapter?  
2. What kind of image do you get of Shinji with a faint scar on his back?  
3. Do you love, like, or hate N?  
4. What do you think of the relationship between N and Shinji? (Don't take this question romantically, please… O-O")  
5. Did you like Zorua's prank of changing into Shinji and trying to kiss Hikari's cheek? 8D *shot shot*  
6. Any suggestions you'd like to make? (I'll try my best to put them in. ^^)_


	15. Hiun City, The City of Grandeur

_A/N: Author's Note_

_Note: Arti/Burgh, Hoiiga/Whirlipede, Fushide/Venipede, Ishizumai/Dwebble, Hahakomori/Leavanny, Kurumiru/Sewaddle_

**Mystique****  
CH 15: ****Hiun City, The City of Grandeur **

I was _exhausted_. The past few days felt like a month to me. You would have had no idea of what we went through in Yaguruma Forest (Pinwheel Forest)…

Ever since Zorua joined our team, we were exhausted by his pranks and mischief. He would always scare Jun by transforming into a frightening Pokémon – and be successful. Also, he transforms into my human self just to tease Hikari. I would have to say that that's indirectly teasing me too. Zorua doesn't know my true identity though.

We arrived to a bridge called Skyarrow Bridge. It was quite long and slightly surrounded by fog. When I looked up to see the end of the arches, I felt like I was going to fall on my back.

"So… Shall we go?" Hikari suggested. We walked across the bridge in silence. The fog gradually disappeared from view and we found ourselves staring at tall skyscrapers ahead. "Wow! That is really cool!" Hikari exclaimed.

"I never thought I'd see buildings _that_ huge…" Jun breathed. He bent down to me and slid his arm across my shoulders. "So, what do ya think, Luxio? Isn't it awesome-looking?"

The buildings certainly were nice. I thought they would be tall enough to touch the clouds. I just shrugged as my answer.

Jun smirked at me and stood back up. "Alright! Now, let's hurry – To Hiun City!" We ran down the stairs and entered Hiun City. We were standing at the base of a skyscraper. We all looked up, but we couldn't even see the top of the building. Jun tried to look further but toppled back and fell on me.

My mouth opened to cry out as I accidentally electrocuted Jun. I slipped out in time before Jun fell back on the ground. I sweatdropped at the fried blonde in front of me. _"Err… Sorry, Jun."_

"Ouch, ouch, ouch…" Jun scratched his head. "Okay, that was really my fault, but still… You owe me a fine, Luxio!"

I cocked a brow. _"… A fine…?"_ I looked at Hikari to get some better explanation.

Hikari laughed and petted my head. "It's nothing, Luxio. It's just his… thing." She pointed ahead. "Hey, look!" We all looked to see the ocean, the sun's rays reflected on the surface. "Isn't it pretty?"

"Yeah, yeah, I think you're the only one who cares about this," Jun muttered. "Come on, let's go! I want to get my gym badge already!" He stomped on the ground with impatience. "Come on, Hikari!"

"Oh fine…" she groaned.

"_Don't tell me you're having second thoughts about being a trainer now,"_ I chuckled.

We looked around to find the gym, but we had no luck. I also looked around for any signs of a Pokémon Gym.

Hikari sighed and sat down on a nearby bench in a park. "Guys, I think we're lost."

"We are not!" Jun exclaimed. "The Pokémon Gym is near here… I'm just sure of it!"

I rolled my eyes and lied down beside Hikari's feet. I suddenly heard familiar footsteps nearby and averted my eyes to the direction of the sounds. I found Cheren walking towards us. _"Cheren?"_

"Hikari-San? Jun-San?"

"Oh! Cheren!" Hikari called. "What are you doing here?"

Cheren opened his badge case and showed them. "I finished my third gym battle. I got my victory on a whim. I had to defeat two more Pokémon with my last one. The gym leader had three Pokémon…!"

Hikari's eyes widened. "It was that hard?"

"It looks like it," Jun muttered. "But I can _totally_ beat the guy!"

"Well, the gym leader mainly uses bug-type Pokémon, so your Grass-Types would be in danger." Cheren put his badge case back in his bag. "By the way, you look lost."

"We are," Hikari replied. "We've been going around this place looking for the gym, but we can't find it."

Cheren nudged his glasses up and pointed to the direction he came from. "Just head straight down that road and turn at Gym Street. You should be able to see a lilac-colored gym. You _can't_ miss it."

Jun jumped up and pumped up a fist. "Alright! I'm ready for my gym battle now! Come at me!" Jun speeded across the road of buildings. He was quite enthusiastic about gym battles, wasn't he…?

Hikari and Cheren sweatdropped when Jun disappeared around a corner. I only cocked a brow.

"Come on, Luxio…" Hikari patted my head. "Let's go to the Gym." We walked down the road of buildings and turned around a corner of the last building. There was certainly a lilac-colored building nearby. There were glass windows on the walls and roof with a plant pattern above the door. "It sure looks… unique… compared to the other skyscrapers…"

"_That's because it's a Pokémon Gym. It's supposed to stand out,"_ I sighed. _"… This gym seems kinda off…"_ And it seems I was right. There was a botanical garden inside with bug Pokémon inhabiting it. A Pokémon battlefield was placed in the middle of the gym. I thought about Hikari's Pokémon. _"Grass, psychic, and dark types are weak against bug types…"_

"Jun, are you in here?"

"Yeah, I'm over here!" he called out. We followed the sound of his voice and were led to the battlefield. We saw a man with brown hair wearing somewhat wacky clothes. Well, the gym reflects the gym leader after all.

The gym leader approached us. "Ah, so you are my fellow gym challengers, are you? My name is Arti." He was wearing a magenta scarf, a green shirt, and magenta pants with a black stripe going down and a green stripe going down the sides. His pants had a butterfly sewn. "So who wants to battle me first? My Pokémon are all healed and ready!"

Jun nudged Hikari. "Hey, why don't you go first this time?"

Hikari's brows shot up in surprise. "U-um, m-me?" She laughed nervously. "Uh, sure, why not?"

Arti chuckled at her. "Ah, is this your first time battling gyms?"

"Y-yes, I'm actually a Pokémon Coordinator." Hikari scratched her head. "I just wanted to try out the Pokémon Trainer life, if you know what I mean."

I blew a few strands of my… fur… away from my eyes. _"I wonder how long you'll be able to stand it though."_

"Well, I'm sure you can give it a good shot at it!" Arti rubbed Hikari's head. "So you're gonna be my first challenger, right?"

Hikari nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Good. Did you choose your Pokémon yet? I only have three."

"Oh! Um, can you give me a few minutes?" Hikari slung her bag in front of her and took out the Pokémon she had. "Hmmm… Tsutarja, Shikijika, and Pochama might do."

My jaw hung wide open when she said the names. I just wanted to smack her for choosing Grass-Type Pokémon _right after _Cheren told her_ that Grass Pokémon would be in danger!_ _"What, are you insane?"_ I groaned. _"You're _really_ going to lose this battle!"_

Hikari smiled at me. "Well, Munna's still scared of fighting. Also, Togekiss might not be fit to battle in gyms…" She gave me a pat. "Thanks for worrying though."

I rolled my eyes. _"You should let _me_ battle at least…"_ I muttered.

She zipped her bag and slung it over her shoulder. "I think you should just rest for this time. I promise you can battle next time, okay?" She stood up with her three Pokémon. "Arti-San, I'm ready!" I sighed and stayed beside Jun along the sidelines.

Arti nodded and snapped his fingers. The floor had a opening where the battlefield appeared from it.

"Whoa!" Jun exclaimed. "Now that's cool!"

Arti made his way to the opposite side of the battlefield. "Hoiiga (Whirlipede), you're up first!" He sent out a gray, hard-shelled Pokémon that was curled up like a tire. There were spikes projecting out of the shell along with two antennas with a red stripe. Magenta rings adorned the outer shell of Hoiiga.

Hikari blinked, taking out her PokéDex.

_Hoiiga, the Cocoon Centipede Pokémon and the evolved form of Fushide (Venipede). Hoiiga can spin its hard-shelled body like a tire to smash into opponents._

"Alright…" She enlarged a PokéBall. "Shikijika, Charm Up!" Shikijika appeared in a flash of light and lightly stomped on the ground. "Get ready, Shikijika! You might be up for a little challenge!"

Shikijika nodded with confidence. _"Don't worry! I'll do my best!"_ She looked at Hoiiga. _"Let's have a good battle!"_

"_Same to you, Shikijika,"_ Hoiiga replied. _"Good luck."_

The referee raised both his arms. "Only three Pokémon are permitted. When all the respective Pokémon of one party has fainted, the match will be over. Now…" He swung his arms down, signaling the start of the battle. "Begin!"

"Shikijika, surround yourself with Energy Balls!" Shikijika produced a barrier of Energy Balls around herself.

I furrowed my brows together in curiosity. Back at the gym in Shippou City, she surrounded the opponent with Energy Balls. What could she be up to this time? I also wondered if she was going use the new move Shikijika learned recently.

Arti's brows shot up in mild surprise. "Oh? This is quite different than the techniques trainers use. Well, it's because you are a Pokémon Coordinator, right?" He put his hands on his hips. "Hoiiga, use Poison Sting at those Energy Balls." Hoiiga rotated quickly and shot a barrage of purple needle-like attacks at Shikijika.

"Shikijika, dodge and charge at Hoiiga!"

"Go for it, Shikijika!" Jun cheered.

The barrier with Shikijika inside swiftly dodged the Poison Stings and charged towards Hoiiga.

Arti chuckled. "Hoiiga, Steam Roller." Hoiiga started rotating his body with his antennas glowing white. Then, he quickly slammed into the barrier of Energy Balls, which burst into shining green particles. However, Shikijika was not where she was supposed to be. "Hoiiga, above you!" They all looked up to see Shikijika, who jumped in mid-air before getting hit.

"Leech Seed!"

The flower-like tuft on Shikijika's head closed and shot two seeds at Hoiiga. The seeds were implanted on Hoiiga and wrapped him in vines.

"That was quite a splendid technique, Hikari," Arti complimented. "I have to admit that you're not bad at all, considering that this is your first time in the trainer class."

Hikari slightly laughed and scratched her head. "Aw… Thank you so much."

"Let's continue, shall we?" Arti smiled. "Hoiiga, Steam Roller!" Hoiiga began to rotate again and charged towards Shikijika.

"Double Kick!" Shikijika attempted to kick Hoiiga away but she was too weak. Hoiiga slammed into her, throwing her off the ground. She collapsed on the ground, unconscious. This battle was going to be a little hard for Hikari.

"Shikijika is unable to battle! Hoiiga is the winner!"

Hikari sighed, returning Shikijika back into her PokéBall. "You did a great job, Shikijika. Get some rest, okay?" She got out her second Pokémon. "Pochama, Charm Up!" Pochama appeared in a flash of light and pounded his chest.

"_Leave it to me, Hikari-Chan!"_ Pochama confidently declared.

"_Why don't you pay attention to what you're going to battle against instead of being self-confident?"_ I smugly told him.

A vein popped in Pochama's head and he glared at me. _"Shut up, Shinji! You should just go fall in a pit!"_ He stuck out his tongue at me and faced Hoiiga.

"Pochama, use Peck… the Contest way!"

"_Alright!"_ Pochama gathered energy and channeled it into his beak. As his beak glowed, the length and sharpness of his beak grew! _"Here I come!"_ He ran towards Hoiiga.

"I won't allow that!" Arti exclaimed. "Hoiiga, use Iron Defense!" Hoiiga stood still and hardened until he was like steel. Pochama pecked Hoiiga with all his strength and jumped back. It didn't seem like Hoiiga got damaged all the way, since Iron Defense raised his defense immensely. But he probably had little health left from the Leech Seed and Peck.

Arti crossed his arms. "My, I never thought I'd see a Pokémon's beak grow _that_ long!" He nodded satisfyingly. "However, you better try harder! Hoiiga, Solarbeam!"

A ball of light formed between Hoiiga's antennas as he gathered the sunlight's energy. _"Here I go!"_ He shot the beam of light towards Pochama. _"Solarbeam!"_

"Dodge by spinning and use Whirlpool!" Hikari commanded. Pochama charged towards the attack and spun, narrowly dodging to the side. Then, a whirlpool formed at the tip of his beak and shot it at Hoiiga.

He got caught into the swirling whirlpool. _"Gah!"_

"Hoiiga!" Arti called. "Hang in there!"

"Peck, Pochama!" Pochama leapt towards the whirlpool and pecked Hoiiga. The whirlpool burst and Hoiiga fell on the ground, fainted.

"Hoiiga is unable to battle! Pochama is the winner!"

Pochama put his flippers on his hips – if he had any. _"Now _that's_ what I'm talking about!"_

Hikari smiled and nodded. "That was great, Pochama! Let's keep it up, okay?"

Arti returned Hoiiga back to his PokéBall. "Great job, Hoiiga. You did exquisitely!" He took out another PokéBall and enlarged it. "Ishizumai (Dwebble), you're up next!" He sent out a Pokémon with a rock as a shell. The body was similar to that of a hermit crab.

"Ishizumai?" Hikari took out her PokéDex again.

_Ishizumai, the Rock Inn Pokémon. After finding a suitable rock, Ishizumai digs a hole in the rock's bottom to use it as a protective shell. Ishizumai can make rock easier to carve by producing a liquid from its mouth._

"So it's a rock and bug type. I can beat him with Pochama!" Hikari whispered to herself. "Alright, Pochama, get ready!" Pochama got into a ready position. "Pochama, use Bubblebeam at Ishizumai!"

"_Bubblebeam!"_ Pochama shot a beam of bubbles at Ishizumai.

"Ishizumai, Protect." Ishizumai crawled into his shell and protected himself against Pochama's Bubblebeam. "Dig!" Ishizumai quickly dug underground, making Pochama unaware of his moves. Suddenly, he popped out from the ground near Pochama, attempting to jump him.

"Uh-oh! Pochama, Hydro Pump!"

That's when my jaw hung open. That penguin knew Hydro Pump?

Pochama shot a powerful stream of water with white rings around it at Ishizumai.

"X-Scissor!" Ishizumai formed an X with his claws and charged towards the stream of water. The X-Scissor actually cut through it, letting Ishizumai get close to Pochama. "Keep going!" Pochama couldn't get away, so he was blown away by the X-Scissor.

"Pochama! Are you okay?" Hikari called.

The penguin struggled to stand up. That Ishizumai must've been powerful. _"Of course!"_ Pochama proudly replied. _"This is nothing! We're going to win this, Hikari-Chan!"_

I sighed, lying on my stomach. I was slowly growing bored of this. _"Just stop boasting and _try_ to win the battle, penguin."_ Pochama ignored my insult.

"Ishizumai, use Rock Wrecker!" Ishizumai gathered his claws together and a small pebble formed with a red aura surrounding it. It grew bigger until it was big as Ishizumai and he shot it at Pochama.

"Dodge it, Pochama!" It was too late. Before Pochama could even take a step, the rock crashed with Pochama, sweeping him off the ground. Apparently, that crash had such a huge impact that Pochama fainted. That Ishizumai was, even for me, light and strong with his attacks.

"Pochama is unable to battle! Ishizumai is the winner!" The referee announced.

"Come on, come on, come on!" Jun shouted. "What the heck are you doing, Hikari?" I mentally smacked myself.

Hikari's jaw hung open. "No way…!" I sighed and brought back Pochama by his cape. "Take a good rest, Pochama. You were awesome!" Pochama sighed and slumped beside me. I smirked and rolled my eyes at his depression. "Tsutarja, you're the last!"

Tsutarja came out, trying to look cool as usual. _"Hn, so it's finally my turn, huh?"_ He looked at Ishizumai and smirked. _"May the best Pokémon win."_

Ishizumai smiled at Tsutarja and nodded. _"I hope we have a good battle! Sorry if I do anything too painful."_

"Alright, are you ready, Hikari?"

"Yes, Arti-San! Tsutarja, spin with Leaf Blade!" Tsutarja flipped around and started spinning, the large leaf of his tail glowing green. He swung his tail around, slapping Ishizumai along with it. However, it was part bug type, so it didn't do much damage.

"X-Scissor!" Ishizumai formed an X with his claws and charged towards Tsutarja.

"Tsutarja, use your vines to dodge!" Vines extended from Tsutarja's yellow collar and grabbed onto a nearby tree branch, dodging the X-Scissor in time. "Good one!"

"_You're pretty quick on your feet!"_ Ishizumai complimented.

"_Hn, you're not bad yourself."_

"Ishizumai, use Dig!" Ishizumai dug a hole inside the ground again.

Hikari smirked and nodded at Tsutarja. "Tsutarja, go inside the hole," she paused, "and use Leaf Tornado!" I also smirking, knowing that technique. She used it back at Sanyou City. He dived inside and next thing you know, Ishizumai shot out of the ground. When he fell on the ground, he fainted.

"Ishizumai is unable to battle. Tsutarja is the winner!"

Hikari squealed. "Tsutarja, you were so great!" She breathed a sigh of relief. "Okay, so there's just one more left!"

Arti chuckled, put one hand on his hip. "Phew, that was a pretty good battle there! Ishizumai, you did your best! Get some rest now, alright?" He returned Ishizumai back to his PokéBall. "Well, it's time to release Hiun Gym's guardian! Let's go, Hahakomori (Leavanny)!"

A thin, yellow Pokémon appeared. There was a broad, split leaf around its head and had long antennas that ended in semi-circles. The chest and legs were dark green and sectioned – like armor. The hands were leaves that looked like something took one bite from each leaf. The abdomen was covered by a leafy tail. It looked like Hahakomori was wearing a coat.

"Hahakomori…?" Jun opened his PokéDex.

_Hahakomori, the Nurturing Pokémon and Kurumiru's (Sewaddle's) final evolutionary form. Using sticky threads that come from its mouth, it makes clothes for Kurumiru by sewing leaves together._

"Hikari, Hahakomori is a bug and grass type! Tsutarja could still be at a disadvantage, dammit!" Jun exclaimed.

"Hey! You just be quiet, Jun!" Hikari puffed her cheeks. "I could still have a chance, you know!"

She blew some strands of her hair away from her eyes. "Geez… That Jun…"

Arti laughed at their short argument. "My, you two are quiet energetic, aren't you? I'd love to see what Jun will have in store for me!" He looked at Hahakomori. "Are you ready?"

"_Of course,"_ Hahakomori replied. She had a motherly voice that seemed to care about others very much.

"I'm ready too, Arti-San!"

"Then let's start!"

Hikari took a deep breath. "Okay… Tsutarja, let's start off with Leaf Blade!" The leaf on Tsutarja's tail glowed green as he charged towards Hahakomori.

"Hahakomori, use String Shot!" Hahakomori shot sticky threads at Tsutarja, the threads binding Tsutarja's body. "Ah, that was excellent!"

Tsutarja sighed at the string that was bindings his body. _"Yeah… this feels weird…"_ He tried biting the thread off but it was no use. The threads were just too thick. _"What the…? It won't come off!"_

"Unfortunately, Hahakomori's threads won't snap that easily," Arti explained. "You might want to figure out a way to get that off before I attack you!"

"Tsutarja, try using your vines to get it off!" Tsutarja got out his vines and started pulling on the threads as hard and far as they can. It was working! The threads were slowly snapping though. That wasn't enough time for Tsutarja.

"Hahakomori, Hyper Beam!" A pink orb outlined with white energy formed between her antennas. It grew bigger and bigger until it shot towards Tsutarja.

"_Tsutarja, dodge it!"_ I yelled.

"Hurry and dodge it, Tsutarja!" Hikari pleaded. But it was already too late. Tsutarja was too slow and got hit by the Hyper Beam. He screamed and fell once the attack was over. "Are you okay?"

Tsutarja struggled to stand, but he nodded to reassure her. _"Yeah, I'm fine! Just… hurry…!"_

"Mega Drain!" Hikari commanded. A beam of green energy shot from Tsutarja's collar and aimed towards Hahakomori.

"Protect!" A turquoise barrier surrounded Hahakomori, preventing the Mega Drain from stealing her strength. "Now, use Leaf Storm." She raised her arms and a large number of leaves began to gather above her arms. She brought her arms forward, shooting the leaves at Tsutarja.

…

This battle… was over.

"Tsutarja is unable to battle! The challenger has no more Pokémon left!" The referee gestured to Arti. "The victory goes to Gym Leader Arti!"

Hikari looked startled. She sighed and returned Tsutarja back to his PokéBall. "You did a great job, Tsutarja. Thanks for the help!" She put her PokéBalls back and looked at Arti. "Arti-San! I'll come back tomorrow or so to have another challenge!"

"Please do, Hikari," Arti replied. He gave her a smile and turned to Jun. "Alright, do you mind if battle with you tomorrow? My Pokémon and I'll need some rest."

Jun nodded. "Sure. But Arti-San, you better get prepared tomorrow! My Pokémon and I will totally _own_ you!" He laughed with that same confidence in his tone.

Arti also laughed. "I'm sure you'll give me an interesting battle. I'll be looking forward to it, okay?" He patted his shoulder and approached Hikari. "That was a great battle, Hikari. You will be coming back next time, right?"

Hikari smiled and nodded. "Of course!"

"Oh yes, you did say you were a Coordinator, no?"

"Yes, I am."

Arti rubbed his chin. "Tell me. Do you actually prefer Pokémon Contests or Pokémon Gyms?"

Hikari smiled with excitement and enthusiasm. "Actually, yes I do! I just wanted to try the trainer life, really." She petted my head gently. "I guess you can say there are certain trainers that sorta… inspired me, I think."

I raised a brow at her. _"Satoshi, right?"_

"Oh? Who is that trainer?"

Hikari poked her head. "Hmmm… I have to admit that Satoshi got me a little interested, but this trainer named Shinji boosted that interest just a bit." Her brows then shot up. "Oh yeah, Satoshi had a battle here, right?"

Arti snapped his fingers. "Ah! I remember that fellow! He was quite the challenger, really! He took so many risks in his battle!"

Hikari laughed. "Yeah, that sounds like Satoshi, alright." She took Pochama in her arms. "Well, thank you for the battle, Arti-San. I'll come back tomorrow."

"Please do, Hikari. I'll also look forward to what you have in store for me!" Arti waved us good-bye as we headed to the Pokémon Center to get some rest.

~.~.~

_**At night…**_

Jun was watching television, while Hikari took care of us. She held up Pochama. "So, do you guys want to give it another go tomorrow?"

Pochama puffed his cheeks, crossing his flippers. _"When are you going to try for Pokémon Musicals, Hikari-Chan? I still can't agree with you doing gym battles, you know…"_

I blew a few strands of fur away from my eyes. _"Now that you say it, even I'm not sure if she's cut out for this."_ I laid my head on my paws, glancing at Hikari. _"But then again… Hikari and I _did_ make a deal. After she spends some time with Rentorar, I – as a human – will have to watch her battle in the Isshu League."_

Tsutarja raised a brow at me. _"So basically… until you turn human, she's gonna keep battling in Pokémon Gyms…? Don't you think that's a bit… hard on Hikari-Chan?"_

I casually shrugged. _"I already realized that – which is why I'm wondering why she told me to do that and why she decided to battle in Isshu League."_

A vein popped in Pochama's head. _"… So that's the reason why she's doing all this…? It's all for you…?"_ He squirmed in Hikari's hands and jumped away from her grip. _"You! Change this deal back! I don't want Hikari-Chan to be a Pokémon trainer! I want her to follow her dream of becoming a Pokémon Coordinator!"_

Hikari looked at Pochama in worry. "P-Pochama, what's wrong?" She picked up the protesting penguin who was cursing at me. "Geez, are you still upset over me attempting to battle in gyms?"

Pochama turned his head away from Hikari. _"Hmph. I'm afraid that you won't want to try Pokémon Contests again."_

"Oh, you…" Hikari giggled. "No need to worry! And I really mean it with my heart. I'm never going to give up the contest path, Pochama." She rubbed his head. "I promise I won't give it up… _ever_."

I closed my eyes. _Maybe I shouldn't let her try battling in the Isshu League,_ I thought. To be honest, I didn't think this was going to be all worth it. Hikari was going to be battling gyms just to see me – when I'm actually beside her, waiting to become normal again.

I wasn't sure of that deal anymore. Should I ask to break it? Or should I keep it?

Pochama is beyond worry for Hikari right now.

But a deal's a deal.

What if Hikari strays from the contest path?

But she's the one who decided herself about the Isshu League.

It's possible that Hikari might regret this deal.

My brows furrowed a little at the thought. _"That's actually… possible. Even I think this isn't worth it."_ I sighed, shaking my head.

Apparently, Tsutarja was observing me. _"Yeah… Me neither."_

"… _Was I saying my thoughts out loud?"_ I murmured.

Tsutarja smirked at me, shaking his head. _"Nah, but your last sentence… I heard. If you think it isn't worth it, then ask Hikari if you can change it."_

I groaned. _"I know, I know."_

_The next time I temporarily become human, I think I'll ask if we can change the deal,_ I thought. The full moon was a month away. How long will I have to deal with Pochama's fuss over Hikari battling gyms?

~.~.~

_**The next day…**_

It was Jun's turn to battle Arti now. He already beat two of Arti's Pokémon. There was only Hahakomori left.

Arti held up Hahakomori's PokéBall. "Come forth – guardian of Hiun Gym – Hahakomori!" He sent out the same Pokémon that beat Hikari's Pokémon.

"Pokabu, let's take Hahakomori out!"

"_Hell yeah!"_ Pokabu shouted in excitement. _"Let's get this party started!"_

Jun grinned and punched the air. "Charge towards Hahakomori! Don't attack until I say so!"

Hikari and I looked at Jun with curiosity. What can _he_ be up to?

Pokabu ran towards Hahakomori with speed.

Arti smirked. "Hahakomori, stay where you are." Hahakomori stayed still, watching Pokabu come at her. "Wait for it…"

"Ember!" The orb on Pokabu's tail glowed orange and she released a spiraling stream of ember from her nose.

"Hahakomori, Protect." A green barrier surrounded Hahakomori, protecting her from the shower of ember. "Use String Shot." She spit sticky thread at Pokabu, wrapping his body and tail together.

"_What the?"_ Pokabu fell on the ground, attempting to bite the threads off. _"Damn it, it won't come off! Jun, what do I do?"_

"Charge towards Hahakomori again!" Pokabu attempted to run, but she couldn't even walk properly. "What the…? What the heck is going on?"

Arti chuckled at their little situation. "You see, a Pokémon would need its tail for balance. Since Pokabu has her tail bound, she can't move as properly." He snapped. "Hahakomori, Hyper Beam."

Hahakomori prepared her Hyper Beam. A pink orb surrounded by white energy was beginning to form between her antennas.

Jun looked like he was going to panic. But it seemed it wasn't necessary. His face suddenly lit up and he snapped his fingers. "I got it! Pokabu, I want you to use Flame Charge!"

Pokabu blinked, but went right to it. She began to stomp on the ground, a dust cloud engulfing her. Then, she was engulfed in bright flames. _"Now what?"_

"Just stay there and let the flames do the magic!" Jun snickered. Just like he said, the flames engulfing Pokabu's body burned the sticky thread off her body. "Alright!"

Hikari's eyes widened. "Whoa… That's… actually really smart! Go, Jun!" I think that was good enough to spark Hikari's mind to make new strategies.

"Now, use Smog!" Pokabu released a thick fog of gases and covered the battlefield. Hahakomori looked at every direction in alertness. "Get ready, Pokabu! Jump!" She leapt into the air. "Shower Hahakomori with Ember!" Pokabu then released Ember over the battlefield. However, Hahakomori used Protect.

"Hahakomori, use Leaf Storm to get rid of the Smog!"

"Oh no, you're not!" Jun shouted. "Pokabu, Heat Crash!"

"_Awesome!"_ Pokabu's body became surrounded by red-orange flames and charged at Hahakomori. Hahakomori released Leaf Storm at Pokabu, but the flames burned the leaves away. She slammed into Hahakomori, throwing her off the ground.

Hahakomori fainted.

"Hahakomori is unable to battle. The victory goes to Jun from Futaba Town!" the referee announced.

Jun pumped a fist. "Hell yeah!" He gave Pokabu a thumbs-up. "Awesome job, Pokabu!" Pokabu giggled and cheered along with him.

Arti sighed and smiled at Jun. "It looks like you got me there." He returned Hahakomori back to her PokéBall and approached Jun. "Congratulations, Jun. You've earned yourself the Beetle Badge (Insect Badge)." He gave Jun a light green badge shaped like a wing and body of an insect.

"Oh yes! I got my Beetle Badge!" Jun inserted his newly earned badge in his badge case. "Sweet!"

"Great job, Jun!" Hikari congratulated. "You won, as expected!"

Jun grinned at her. "That's right! I think this just shows my awesome battling skills!"

Hikari and I rolled our eyes. "Alright, alright. You've shown your skills. It'll soon be my turn, you know."

"I'm looking forward to our rematch, Hikari. But for now, let my Pokémon rest for a while before it, okay?"

"Of course, Arti-San! Your Pokémon battled really hard, after all." She glanced at Jun. "I just hope they didn't strain anything from Jun's battle."

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?" Jun exclaimed. He stuck his tongue out and crossed his arms. Arti and she laughed.

"I think I'll let Munna out to enjoy some fresh air. I want to visit Central Plaza." She took out Munna and took her around with us. Munna seemed to be happy.

After spending some time in Hiun City, we decided to go to the piers. Unfortunately, Arti was out in the piers looking worried. All of a sudden, I sensed something bad was going to happen.

I heard a shuffling behind us and wheeled around. There was no one there. Hikari, Jun, and I were fine. But…

"MUNNA!" Hikari cried. "Where's Munna? She's gone!" She panicked and searched around.

Arti narrowed his eyes. "Hikari, calm down. I have a feeling I know where Munna might be." He looked behind him, where the buildings were. "Follow me." We followed him to Gym Street and we found a building where there were two people dressed in very strange clothes. "There, Munna's in there."

We rushed to the entrance where those two people were guarding it. They stopped us from passing.

"Give me back my Munna! Who are you people?" Hikari cried. "What are you going to do with my Munna?" They didn't answer her, but stood at the entrance.

Jun crossed his arms. "Hikari, they're obviously not going to let us pass." He then smirked and chuckled. "I think it's best if we battle them to let us pass." He took out his PokéBall. "Get ready, you punks!"

The guards exchanged looks and focused on us. "If you're that insistent about passing, you should defeat us first!" They took out their PokéBalls.

"Hikari, you take out that guy and I'll take out this guy." Jun let out Emperte and Hikari let out Tsutarja. The guard she was facing against took out Meguroco.

In just minutes, the two guards were defeated. They gritted their teeth and went back inside the building. We nodded to each other and rushed in there. We found a small group of people inside. They were all wearing strange garb, really. I found Munna in a corner, guarded by another person in the same clothes.

"_Let her go,"_ I growled. I ran towards the corner – with Hikari calling my name in surprise – and slapped the Grunt with my tail. Should I have bitten him? I should have, but the Grunt pulled away from Munna. _"Did they do anything to you?"_

Munna shook her head. _"N-no… They just held me captive."_ She floated a little closer to me. _"Shinji, I'm scared. What if they do something horrible to you guys?"_

I glanced at Hikari and Jun. _"They'll be fine. Besides, it doesn't seem like anyone plans to fight."_ I noticed a tall man with green hair. Was it N? No, the man seemed a little too showy to be that guy. The man was dressed in what seemed like a robe with a castle-like top. Who was that man?

Ah, I see. His name is Ghetsis, who was part of Team Plasma. (What kind of name is that?) Then, the man stepped forward and started talking about a black and a white dragon, calling them heroes of Isshu. To be honest, he spoke too much. I rolled my eyes and focused on Munna. _"Calm down. We'll be getting you back, I promise."_

"Return her Pokémon!" I heard Ghetsis order. A Grunt was trying to reach out for Munna, but I slapped the hand away.

"_Hmph."_ I nudged Munna to go back to Hikari with me. She nodded and floated very close to me as we made our way back to our group. Hikari hugged Munna, relieved that she was safe.

"Oh, Munna! You're safe!" Munna cried tears of relief and joy now that she was back with Hikari.

Ghetsis chuckled… darkly. "The friendship between Pokémon and humans are very touching, aren't they? But, in order to liberate Pokémon from foolish people like you, we _will_ revive the legend of Isshu – and win the hearts and minds of everyone." He gave us a bow and disappeared out of the building along with his group.

When he passed me, I felt a small chill going down my spine. This guy was _definitely_ bad news… He just might've been worse than N.

"That certainly was strange…" Hikari breathed. She looked at Jun, who seemed lost from the speech. "Jun, come on. It's over." She slightly shook him to snap him out of his daze.

I smirked at the blonde. I thought that that would've been the same reaction as Satoshi's if he heard this.

Arti sighed, placing his hands on his hips. "Well… Putting this aside, why don't we have your rematch, Hikari?"

Hikari turned to the gym leader, nodding with a smile. "Yes, Arti-San. I'm ready for my rematch!"

"Well then, let's go."

~.~.~

_**Back at the gym…**_

Ishizumai collapsed on the floor.

"Ishizumai is unable to battle! The winner is Pochama!" the referee announced.

Hikari giggled. "Yes! That was great, Pochama!" She nodded to the penguin. "One down, two more to go!" She returned Pochama back into her PokéBall. "You did awesome. Get some rest, okay?"

Arti chuckled as he returned his fainted Ishizumai back. "You got me again. Hoiiga, you're up next!" He threw the PokéBall, sending out Hoiiga.

"Tsutarja, Charm Up!" She sent out Tsutarja. "Let's start with Vine Whip! Slap it down on Hoiiga!" Vines appeared from Tsutarja's collar and began to slap Hoiiga. But since Hoiiga dodged it, Tsutarja was only slapping the ground. "Perfect. Now, use your vines to hold you up while using Leaf Blade!" He used his vines to hold himself in mid-air and the large leaf on his tail glowed.

Arti cocked a brow. I was sure he didn't know what she was planning.

"Rotate!" Tsutarja smirked and started rotating as he used Leaf Blade. The glowing leaf smacked Hoiiga continuously.

"Iron Defense!" Hoiiga's eyes snapped open and his body turned as hard as iron. Tsutarja was reflected back. "Steam Roller!" Hoiiga rotated and charged at Tsutarja.

Hikari smiled, knowing that he'll use that. "Tsutarja, use Leaf Tornado at his side… and blow him away!" Tsutarja spun upside down, a tornado of leaves forming at the tip of his tail. He guided the move to hit the side of Hoiiga. It was successful and threw Hoiiga off. "Vine Whip! But this time, I want you to spin!"

"_I got ya!"_ Tsutarja replied. He spun around on one foot while his vines hit Hoiiga with a hard impact. After he was done with his move, he smugly chuckled as Hoiiga fainted. _"And there you have it."_

My brows furrowed in interest. It seemed as if Tsutarja was… dancing. I looked at Hikari, raising a brow. _"You're preparing to try out for the Pokémon Musical, aren't you?"_

Hikari placed her hands on her hips. "What can I say? It can't hurt to try, right?" She pointed at Tsutarja. "Nice job with the combo, Tsutarja!"

"_Nice job with the planning, Hikari-Chan,"_ Tsutarja replied with a thumbs-up.

"Return, Tsutarja!"

I sighed in relief. Well, I had to admit… Hikari was progressing rather quickly. What surprised me a little was what she said next.

"Luxio, why don't you battle in this one? I promised, didn't I?"

I sweatdropped as I walked over to Hikari. _"You were serious…?"_ I sighed, knowing I had no choice if it came to Hikari. _"Okay, fine. Let's get this over with."_ I stepped into the battlefield, prepared to face Hahakomori.

"Come forth, Guardian of Hiun Gym… Hahakomori!" He sent out Hahakomori. She was definitely a little taller than me.

"_Let's have a good battle, Luxio,"_ Hahakomori smiled.

I nodded to her. _"Um… Yeah… Let's."_ I glanced at Hikari, signaling her that we were ready.

"Okay! Luxio, jump back!"

I was curious to what she had in mind, but nonetheless, I jumped back. A thought bubbled up and my eye slightly twitched. _"You better not make me dance,"_ I growled.

Hikari giggled, shaking her head. "Of course not, Luxio." She crossed her arms to think for a second. "Luxio, Discharge! Scatter with full power!" I released a scattering Discharge with my maximum power. Hahakomori dodged the beams, making somewhat deep holes in the ground.

"_Now what?"_ I asked.

"Hahakomori, use String Shot!" Hahakomori shot sticky threads from her mouth. I remembered that she used String Shot to bind the opponent from moving properly!

"Luxio, sit!" My eyes widened in bewilderment, but I sat anyways. That's when I realized that my tail was halfway into the ground. So that's what her plan was. I sunk my tail inside the hole as the threads bound my body. "Nice! Stand up, Luxio!" I stood back up, revealing my tail. It was not bound by String Shot.

"Wow, I certainly didn't see that coming. You really made a counterattack for Hahakomori's String Shot." Arti shook his finger. "But that's not enough! Hahakomori, Hyper Beam!"

My eyes widened. _"Hikari, do something!"_ Even my Discharge wasn't going to be enough to equal this attack! What the hell is that blunette thinking?

"Stay, Luxio."

… I thought she was insane… But it turned out that she did this for our own good. The Hyper Beam was shot at it and was inches away from hitting me.

"Now, duck!" I immediately crouched to my belly, avoiding the Hyper Beam. "Go while Hahakomori's distracted!" I swiftly moved under the Hyper Beam while I had the time. I finally made my way up to Hahakomori. "Thunder Fang!"

I slipped out from underneath and jumped on Hahakomori, biting her with Thunder Fang. Hahakomori screamed in pain, trying to swat me away.

"Hahakomori, try shaking him off with Leaf Storm!" Leaves began to gather as she prepared to aim it at me. However, from all the holes I made with Discharge, Hahakomori fell in one of them. She got distracted!

"Luxio, Discharge!" I got me fangs out and used Discharge, the attack engulfing Hahakomori. Hahakomori was resistant against Electric attacks, but it seemed mine was powerful enough to get her down.

"Hahakomori is unable to battle! The victory goes to the challenger!"

Hikari squealed, jumping up and down. "Yes! That was great, Luxio!"

That also wasn't the only thing that was great. My body began to glow and I felt a strong energy inside me.

This was it.

I was evolving… into Rentorar.

~.~.~

_A/N: Huh, this is just a few hundred words more than my usual chapters. xDD Anyways, I hope this chapter was satisfying…? ^^" I tried my best to make this good. _

_**Questions**__  
Is there anything you want me to change about Hikari's battle style?  
Do you want Hikari and Jun to meet Satoshi and friends in the next city? (I hope it's a yes? xD *shot*)  
Was Hikari's loss in the first battle okay? How about her rematch? (Too easy, I guess? ^^")  
How about a Pokémon you'd like to suggest for Jun to catch next time? :3  
Did you think it was about time that Shinji evolved into a Rentorar? xDDDD  
Any suggestions you'd like to make? (I take notes of every good ideas you give me. 8D)_


	16. Is that?

_A/N: __Hi, everyone! Sorry for the extreme wait! Some of your questions and reviews will be answered at the end. I also have some questions to ask you guys too (as usual xDDD). If you all thought that the last chapter was a cliff hanger, you were wrong! (rofl! *shot shot shot*)_

_Edit: I honestly don't know why the hell FF is making my italics connected. =_=_

_PLUS, the next few chapters will be part of my Raimon (Nimbasa) saga. This saga will have a whole bunch of different shippy moments. New characters will also be introduced!_

**Mystique****  
CH ****16****:**** Is that…?**

Okay… Yes, I have evolved into a Rentorar. But will I _really_ have to do this on a daily basis…?

I sighed as we walked to Raimon City (Nimbasa City). Jun glanced at me from time to time, giving me a somewhat concerned look. I heard him snicker once in a while, but I believed it wasn't because of me.

I was fully certain that it was because of the Troublesome Girl on my back. She was exhausted from making up dance routines for her Pokémon last night. How do I know this? I was awake all night listening to her non-stop chattering. _"You better not do this everyday, or I will really make you pay."_

Suddenly, Hikari slid and fell off my back, her face flat on the ground. "… Ow…" Jun and I stared at her with deadpanned eyes. "I know that I haven't been walking, but can we take a break?" She sat up, revealing her dirt-covered face. I held back the urge to smirk at how idiotic she looked. I shook my head and brushed the dirt off with my… mane.

Unfortunately, I was still uncomfortable of being aware that I had Pokémon-like features instead of human features. I was also sure that almost all common Pokémon licked themselves clean. I would never be caught doing that, dead or alive.

Hikari giggled. "Rentorar, that tickles!"

Jun groaned at Hikari request, but he sat down anyways. "Fine, but we're only taking a break for a few minutes! I can't afford to be held back by you, you know!"

"Oh, shut up, Jun…" Hikari muttered. "I couldn't help but be excited! I mean, I was going to enter the Pokémon Musical today! Of course I'd be staying up all night practicing!" She crossed her arms and pouted.

I simply sat down behind her. She leaned against my abdomen, continuing her argument with Jun. _"Hn."_ I decided to put my head down and get some sleep while I had the time. I managed to tune out their bickering and gave in to the sound of the breeze blowing against the grass.

But of course, my peaceful time was going to be interrupted eventually.

"So, why don't we warm-up a little before the Musical?" Hikari suggested. She threw her PokéBall in the air. "Munna, let's go!" In a flash, Munna appeared. I sighed, knowing that I had no choice but to watch anyways. "Do you remember the routine, Munna?"

Munna took a moment to remember and smiled. _"I'm ready to go, Hikari-Chan!"_

"Why don't we start with a twirl and add a bit of Dream Mist and Psychic?" Munna nodded and floated a little closer to Hikari. Suddenly, Munna opened her mouth wide. She then moved in and bit Hikari's head.

It only took a while for Jun to notice that Munna was biting her head. "Hikari! What's wrong with Munna?"

Hikari laughed very hard. "Relax, Jun. Munna is just taking and turning my dream into Dream Mist." She smiled and waited for Munna to be done. After a few more seconds, a pink mist began to emit from the small hole on her snout.

The pink mist showed vast grassland with many different flowers swaying with the breeze. I thought it was typical of Hikari to think of something like that. Suddenly, there were Pokémon playing around. There were all of Hikari and Jun's Pokémon, including me. Some seemed to be jumping around laughing and having fun, while some of us were relaxing in the grass.

"Alright! Munna, use Psychic on the mist to make it bigger!" As Hikari said, Munna's eyes began to glow a light blue. The mist was surrounded by the glow and it grew bigger. It was probably big enough to fit me inside. Then she used Psychic to move the mist as she danced.

Hikari giggled and clapped her hands. "Oh my gosh, that was perfect!" She hugged Munna and jumped up and down. "We'll be great, I know it!"

Jun scratched his head. "How well do you know about the Pokémon Musicals, Hikari?"

"One, you get to dress your Pokémon with props! Two, all you have to do is dance and appeal to the audience with the props you have. That's pretty much the basics. I hear that the owner of the Musical theater will give you a free Prop Case and props!"

I sweatdropped. Of course, she would research whatever she can when it comes to her huge interests.

"Hey, you two!" someone called out. We all looked at the direction where the voice came from. We saw a boy with brown hair wearing a red cap. There also a bag slung over his shoulder. "I heard you guys talking about the Pokémon Musical." He slid down the grass to where we were. "Are you planning to join, by any chance?"

Jun shook his head. "I ain't, but she is."

The boy looked at Hikari. "Sweet! We got another participant!" He extended out his hand. "My name is Touya (Hilbert). What's yours?"

"I'm Hikari and he's Jun," she replied. "Um, do you know the owner by any chance?"

Touya smirked at her. "Do I know the owner? I'm related to the owner!" He took out a picture from his bag. "The owner is my twin sister, Touko (Hilda)." We all looked at the picture. Touko also had the same color hair as Touya. Her side bangs were very wavy at the bottom and the same went for her ponytail. "She was a huge fan of these things, so she actually suggested it for the Raimon Council. They officially opened it to the public recently."

Hikari's eyes began to shine brightly. "Really? She's the owner?"

"Yeah. I'm not quite interested in this, but she kept insisting that I try finding participants." Touya gave Hikari a thumbs-up. "Looks like I found one! Would you mind coming with me right now?"

"Of course not!"

Touya grabbed her hands and shook them. "Thank you so much, Hikari-San!" The next thing I knew, I was biting Touya's pants and pulling him away from Hikari. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! What did I do wrong?"

Jun tried to pull me away. "Sorry. Rentorar can get a little jealous sometimes." A vein popped in my head and glared at Jun. "What? It's true, you know!"

"It's fine, it's fine. I'm used to it somehow," Touya laughed. "Anyways, please follow me to Raimon City. I'll guide to the Pokémon Musical."

Hikari squealed excitedly. "I can't wait to enter! I bet it'll be just like a Pokémon Contest! Let's go, everyone!" They returned the Pokémon to their respective PokéBalls and went on to Raimon City. I followed beside Hikari. "So, Touya-San-!"

"Oh, no need for formalities, Hikari-San. You can just call me Touya."

"Then, Touya-Kun, if you don't participate in Pokémon Musicals, what do you like to do?"

Touya chuckled and pumped a fist in the air. "I want to defeat the Champion and become a well-known Pokémon Trainer!"

I rolled my eyes but smirked. Touya was just like Satoshi in that sense. They both wanted to become a well-known trainer and defeat the Champion. _"How nostalgic,"_ I sighed.

"Hey, you sound just like Satoshi!" Jun remarked. Touya asked who Satoshi was. "Satoshi's also a Pokémon Trainer and he wanted to be a Pokémon Master." He crossed his arms. "As much as I hate to admit it, he's strong. He even beat Shinji in the Suzuran Conference back at Shinou!" I looked up at the sky, recalling how Satoshi had defeated me in our battle. It was a first out of all the battles we had.

_"I wonder how strong he's gotten now."_

"He sounds like an interesting guy. If he's here in Isshu, I think I'll challenge him to a battle sometime!" Touya grinned. "But of course, I'll make sure that he never gets in the way of my dream to become a Pokémon Master!" Suddenly, a flash of light appeared and a pink Pokémon bit Touya's head. "Gah! Musha, get off of my head!" Touya pulled "Musha" off his head and sighed.

Hikari's eyes widened. "Whoa!"

Jun pulled out his PokéDex and pointed it at the Pokémon.

_Musharna, the Drowsing Pokémon and the evolved form of Munna. _

_The mist from its forehead takes the form of things in present in the dreams it has eaten._

"Huh, so it's actually an evolved form of Munna! No wonder it bit your head, dude." Jun put his PokéDex away.

Touya laughed. "Musharna likes to eat dreams a lot, so when she finds someone who dreaming a lot, she eats them." He held Musharna back. "C'mon, Musha, not in front of people!"

Musharna giggled. _"Sorry, Touya-Chan!"_

"Wow, how cute!" Hikari took out a PokéBall. "You know, I have a Munna too! Come on out, Munna!" Munna then appeared from her PokéBall. "Munna, meet your evolved form, Musharna."

Munna tilted, curious about Musharna. She floated over to Musharna and smiled. _"Hi, Musharna-San!"_

_"Oh, you're so adorable!"_ Musharna giggled. _"It's nice to meet you, Munna-Chan. You can just call me Musha."_

Touya smiled. "Come on, we're close by." We finally continued our way to Raimon City as Musha and Munna talked.

When we arrived to Raimon City, the first thing we were greeted by was the buildings of the city. There were buildings decorated with flags, lights, letters, and a lot of other fancy technology. My eyebrows almost shot up in shock. _"… Wow."_

"Welcome to Raimon City!"

Hikari and Jun's jaws hung open. "What…"

"…is with this…"

"… city…?"

Touya laughed as he clicked on a button on a wristwatch-like device. "Hold on, let me call my sis."

The two gathered around Touya, interested in that device. "Hey, what's that? It almost looks like a Pokétch!" Hikari gasped.

"Oh, is this the first time you've seen this? It's called an Xtransceiver, a device for calling others far away in the Isshu region." His Xtransceiver beeped and he averted his attention back to it.

"Touya, what's up?" His twin sister, Touko, appeared on the screen of his Xtransceiver. "Did you find a participant for the Pokémon Musical?"

Touya nodded at Touko. "Yeah, I did. We're in Raimon City right now, so we'll be heading to the Musical theater, okay?"

Touko laughed in joy, her eyes shining brightly. "Ooh, no need! I'll be over there soon! You're at the entrance, right?" As soon as Touya answered her, we found Touko right in front of us. "Hi! Are you the participant?" she asked Hikari.

Hikari smiled and slightly bowed. "You must be the owner of the Pokémon Musical! My name is Hikari and yes, I'm the participant."

"Oh, what perfect timing! I've got enough participants to let the musical go on!" Touko shook Hikari's hands. "Thank you, thank you so much, Hikari-San!" She led us to a large, decorated building that had a glowing logo in front. We entered the building and saw so many people inside. "Oh, they're just the waiting audience. We haven't started yet."

Touya scratched his head. "I'll have to lead them inside. You go ahead and guide Hikari-San backstage, okay?" He walked to the front of the crowd and got their attention. "Everyone, the Pokémon Musical will start very soon, so please walk upstairs and enter the door at the end of the hallway." The people began to walk up the stairs and disappeared through a door.

Jun and I were left. "So do you think we'll have to follow them, Rentorar?"

I shrugged. _"Most likely. Let's go, Jun."_ We followed the crowd through the door. The room was already filled with people and it was difficult enough to find any free seats. I assumed that we can just watch while standing up.

A few minutes passed before the lights dimmed and the curtains opened.

Touya made his way next to us and leaned against the wall. "I gotta say, Hikari-San has good taste in Props according to the theme. She even got the hang of it as soon as Touko explained how it works." He crossed his arms and smirked. "All we need to see is how her Pokémon does."

"Ladies and gentleman, we give you… A Sweet Soiree!"

Music began to play, but the spotlights haven't turned on yet. I saw 4 Pokémon jumping with the rhythm onto the center of the stage. When the music died down, they turned around. One Pokémon at a time, they turned around as the spotlight shone on them. I found Togekiss in the last of the line of Pokémon.

She was wearing a decorative ribbon on her head, a drooping flower in one wing, a rose on the other, a white cape, a turquoise necklace around her neck, a snowflake barrette on one ear, and a pair of glasses on her face. To be frank, I wanted to laugh, but it seemed to capture the audience's attention a lot.

As the music played, there were moments where the Pokémon threw a prop up in the air. There were also moments where all appealed to the audience at the same time. They all spun around to the music. There was another time when all the Pokémon threw their props into the air.

At, what seemed to be, the climax, all the Pokémon had a solo. They all used a move to appeal to the audience. Togekiss glided to her left, and spun to her original position with small Aura Spheres around her. They fluttered around her as she danced with them.

When the show was done, the curtains closed. Touya tapped on Jun and my shoulders and motioned us to follow him. We both shrugged at each other and followed him. He guided us to the back of the stage and pointed at Hikari. "They both tried their best, but I guess the timing wasn't right."

Hikari was looking at a piece of paper. She was smiling excitedly. Jun and I approached her.

"Good?"

"Yeah!" Hikari laughed. "They said that they felt elegant when they watched Togekiss dance. That's enough for me." She patted Togekiss on her wing. "You did beautifully, Togekiss! I guess we'll have to practice some more, right?"

Togekiss simply smiled and flapped her wings excitedly. _"Oh gosh, that was such a fun dance! I'd love to try it again!"_ I somehow smiled at her enthusiasm. Knowing Hikari's Pokémon, they would've loved participating in the Pokémon Musical.

"Hikari-San!" Touko called out. "You were amazing back there! You were doing really great for your first time!"

"Thank you, Touko-Chan," Hikari replied. "You and Touya-Kun can just call me by Hikari. I prefer that." She sighed in relief. "Gee, I felt _really_ nervous, but I guess it wasn't that bad!"

Just then, Touya tapped on Hikari's shoulder. "Hikari-San – I prefer to call you that – there's a princess named Salvia who wants to talk to you."

Hikari's brows shot up as she dashed to the nearest video phone. Of course, Togekiss and I chased after her."Salvia-Hime?"

The Princess that I saw from the beginning of our journey was on the screen. _"Ah, Hikari-San! I haven't talked to you in a while… Excuse me for not calling you often; I have so many appointments to go to."_

"Oh, it's fine. You are a princess, after all." Togekiss and I looked up at Hikari for her sudden dash. "Oops… Sorry, guys. Were you watching the Pokémon Musical?"

Salvia nodded. _"Oh yes! It was very majestic of Togekiss!" _She delicately clapped her hands._ "It was just like a contest, but you're really dancing instead! How delightful!"_

_"Thank you so much, Salvia-San! It means a lot to me!"_ Togekiss giggled bashfully.

_"Will you be participating again, Hikari-San?"_

Hikari scratched the back of her head. "I would… but I also have gym battles to do, Salvia-Hime. Oh, but don't worry! I'm not really using Togekiss, because I think she prefers entertainment than gym battles."

Salvia smiled thoughtfully. _"You're too much, Hikari-San. If you would like to use Togekiss in a gym battle, all you need to do is ask her. I'm quite sure she won't mind. Togekiss and I have had many battles with other royal members as practice. Isn't that right, Togekiss?"_

_"Why yes, I do believe so!"_ Togekiss agreed. _"All you need to do is ask me, like Saliva-San said, Hikari-Chan."_

When I saw Salvia-Hime look at me, I bowed my head. Honestly, I was still not used to how Hikari and Salvia-Hime looked alike. They could've been twins. _"It's an honor to see you again, Hime."_ I couldn't have cared less, but she was a princess after all.

_"Ah, your Luxio has finally evolved into a Rentorar! Congratulations, Hikari-San!"_ Her eyes slightly widened as if she realized something. _"I don't mean to be rude, but did your Rentorar's appearance change by any chance?" _

I furrowed my brows, wondering what she meant. I looked up at Hikari, who began to look at me with scrutinizing eyes. What was happening to me that made me look different?

"You're right…" Hikari murmured. "Rentorar, those purple streaks on your mane became wider! It's almost as if it's the black colors that are the streaks now!"

What…? I stood on my hind legs and looked at an empty video phone. The reflection of the screen showed exactly what Hikari said. The purple colors that used to be streaks became more visible. I sighed, shaking my head at my reflection. I knew that it was almost time for me to return to being a human. I walked away to wherever Jun was.

I found him at the front of the Pokémon Musical. He looked more excited than usual. I approached him and he looked more jumpy than ever. _"What happened now, Jun?"_

Jun shook me like mad, speaking so many words at the same time. Somehow, I managed to catch some words that made me smirk: Satoshi… Raimon City… here. I guess it was inevitable that we were going to meet somewhere some day.

"Hey, Rentorar, I got a good idea!" Jun grinned. "How about we give Satoshi a surprise attack, hm?"

I smirked at the thought. It certainly was a good idea. _"Let's try it."_

Just then, Hikari finally made it to where we were. "Hey guys, is it just me or did I see Satoshi nearby?" When she saw our evil grins, she nervously laughed. "I guess he really was nearby… and you two are planning to do something horrible to him."

Jun nodded and told Hikari the plan. She giggled and OK'd it. We all sneaked behind trees in a park, where Satoshi and two other people were resting with him. I cocked my head as my eyes moved to a boy with green hair. _"Hm? Where's Takeshi?"_ Takeshi was the one person that I didn't feel much negativity towards. It was strange that he wasn't with Satoshi.

Even Hikari noticed that Takeshi wasn't with him. "Huh? Where's Takeshi? I thought he would've been with Satoshi on this journey too."

"Oh, that doesn't matter!" Jun whispered. "Let's carry out Plan 'Surprise Attack'!"

Hikari tapped on my shoulder and smiled. "Discharge." I smirked, cracking my neck. I charged up electrical energy and aimed Discharge directly at Satoshi.

Pikachu noticed and jumped out of the way. However, Satoshi couldn't make it in time and got zapped. He fell to the ground, brown and fried. His leg twitched constantly.

A girl with very dark purple hair jumped out of the bench, startled. "Who… Who the heck was that?"

Hikari, Jun, and I came out of the trees. Hikari and Jun were laughing their heads off. I just looked at Satoshi, smirked, and shrugged. _"Surprise."_

"Surprise, Satoshi!"

"Hikari! Jun! What are you guys doing here?" Satoshi stumbled back up, using the bench as support. "And _why_ did you zap me?"

"We're here on a journey!" Jun replied, "Duh!"

"And we zapped you because we thought it'd be funny to give you a surprise attack." Hikari stuck her tongue out playfully.

Satoshi sighed and fixed his hat. "Hmph, well it wasn't funny!"

Hikari blinked at the two people behind Satoshi. "Are they your friends, Satoshi?"

"Oh! How rude of me." The green-haired boy gave us a bow. "My name is Dent, a Pokémon Sommelier." He wore a white shirt with a black-gray vest over it, green bowtie, and black pants. From what I remembered, he was one of the gym leaders of Sanyou City.

"And my name is Iris!" the purple-haired girl greeted us. She was wearing a cream shirt with long, loose sleeves that had pink cuffs and collar, a pink skirt tied to one side of her hip, and white and yellow leggings. Her hair had a golden ribbon tying her hair into two and a golden hair tie tying the rest of her hair into one.

"I'm Jun!"

"I'm Hikari! This is Rentorar, my friend's Pokémon." To be honest, I felt slight disappointment about the word 'friend'. I understood it would've been embarrassing for her to say that I was who she liked, but I still felt some disappointment too.

"Don't you mean, 'This is Rentorar, my crush's Pokémon'? The crush as in Shinji?"

Hikari turned red in the face. "J-J-Jun!" She smacked his arm. "You promised not to tell!"

Jun shrugged and grinned. "I didn't promise _anything_."

I saw Satoshi's jaw hang open. "Whoa, whoa, whoa… Wait… That Rentorar used to be Kolink? Shinji's Kolink?" I mentally smacked myself. Did Satoshi not fully notice what Jun said? While they decided to catch up with each other, I decided to hang around where everyone's Pokémon were. I wasn't interested in whatever conversation they were going to have.

Pikachu then skipped over to me. _"Shinji? Is that really you?"_

_"Yeah."_ I laid on the grass and nodded. _"So how have you been this whole time?"_

_"Good, I guess,_" Pikachu replied. _"I've definitely gotten stronger than the start of this journey!"_ He sat down next to me. _"You're now a Rentorar, huh? To think that you used to be the same size as me."_

I chuckled. _"Yeah. Now, I'm big enough to hold you down."_

Pikachu rolled his eyes. _"Right… right…"_ He nudged me. _"So… I just heard that Hikari-Chan likes you?"_

I slightly blushed and looked away. _"Yeah, I know. She even said it to me, even though she didn't know that Rentorar was actually me."_ I sighed, looking at Hikari. _"I've realized a lot of things during this journey."_

_"Wait, is that… a blush I see on your face?"_ Pikachu poked my cheek. _"Are you… are you serious?"_

I pretended not to know. I raised a brow. _"Serious about what? Oh. Well, I'm serious about holding you down."_ I didn't want to get to _that_ topic.

Pikachu laughed. _"You love Hikari!"_

I gritted my teeth and quietly snarled at Pikachu, _"You say one word to others and you won't know what'll happen to you."_ I pressed my forehead against Pikachu's, glaring at him with my piercing yellow eyes. _"Got it?"_

He laughed nervously. _"I got it, I got it! I wasn't planning to say anything anyways!"_ He tapped his finger against his cheek. _"So you really do, huh?"_

_"Great… Just great… One more Pokémon to deal with…"_ I rested my head against my legs and watched the others play. Dodaitose seemed to have a lot of company, considering how many Pokémon were resting on his shell.

There were some Pokémon who approached me. One was a Zuruggu (Scraggy), who had a strange way of greeting me. He hung his head back, which I figured that he was trying to headbutt me. I smirked in amusement when I held my paw against his forehead. _"Nice try, kid. You're a little too young to try to hurt me."_

_"Bleh!"_ Zuruggu stuck his tongue out at me. _"Whatever!"_

Hikari's Tsutarja approached with another Tsutarja. _"Hey, Shi… I mean, Rentorar! It turns out that that Satoshi guy has a Tsutarja too!"_ He leaned closer to me. _"Plus, she's quite the mature lady. I dig that."_

I stifled my smirk. _"Really…? Never heard that from you before."_ Then I saw Zuruggu charge towards Satoshi's Tsutarja. _"Watch out."_

The female Tsutarja sighed and used her vines to stop Zuruggu from coming any closer. _"Not again, Zuruggu. We went over this, didn't we?"_ Through the way she spoke, it was almost like she was their mother.

Male Tsutarja whistled. _"Well done."_ He approached female Tsutarja. _"Wanna go for a stroll, miss?"_

Female Tsutarja turned to male Tsutarja. _"Hm, it would be nice."_ She then looked at Tsutarja. _"But it's not like I'm going because you asked me."_ She turned and walked.

_"Mature _and_ a tsundere*! How cute is that!"_ Tsutarja smiled. He hurried over to female Tsutarja and walked beside her. I rolled my eyes. It looked like he was head-over-heels for her. Of all the Pokémon in Hikari's team… he had to be the first…

Somehow, most of the Pokémon decided to approach and rest with me. I found it slightly irritating, but I got used to it eventually. I thought I looked intimidating.

Pikachu snorted. _"These guys don't know anything about intimidating looks, Shinji. You might as well be nice to them anyways."_

_"That's what I'm unconsciously doing, isn't it?"_ I asked. Pikachu nodded, which I sighed at.

The last was a Doryuzu (Excadrill), who was half my size. _"What's up?"_

_"Nothing much, really._" I shrugged. _"You want to sit?"_ Doryuzu smiled and sat next to me.

_"Huh, you're a good guy,"_ Doryuzu snickered. _"I thought you'd be intimidating."_

I rolled my eyes. _"That's what a lot of people think."_

Pikachu stared at me with deadpan eyes. _"THINK? You're intimidating as you look!" _He paused to inhale. _"Well, maybe except for the fact that you've gotten much softer…"_ he paused to whisper in my ear, _"… through love!"_

_"Do you remember what I told you about holding you down? Do you want me to do something worse to you?"_ I smirked evilly. _"You wouldn't believe what I've done to Hikari and Jun's Pokémon when they pissed me off."_

_"Hmph!"_ Pikachu crossed his arms and looked away.

Doryuzu smirked. _"So, Rentorar, is it? You wanna go for a round?"_ He raised his claws up, displaying its sharp blade.

I raised a brow. _"Is that a challenge?"_

_"You tell me!"_ Doryuzu pointed the tip of his claw at me. _"What do ya say?"_ I looked at Doryuzu in the eye and smirked in acceptance. _"You guys might want to get out unless you want to be cut into pieces."_ Pikachu and the others backed away.

From what I learned, Doryuzu was a Ground and Steel type. My type was at a complete disadvantage, but it was worth the experience. _"Don't expect to win. I may be at a type disadvantage, but I am fairly strong."_

_"Same here, my friend, same here."_

We both prepared to battle each other with full power. Truthfully, I still found it strange that _I_ was the one battling against a Pokémon.

Doryuzu came at me with one of his claws glowing white. When the glow faded, the claw turned into iron. I used Discharge on the ground, causing rubble to slightly blind him. I used the opportunity to use a new move, Double Team, while he was distracted.

When he looked again, he found multiple clones of me surrounding him. We simply ran in different directions, attempting to confuse him and attack him at the perfect chance.

But it seemed he was more skillful than I thought. He released a blue orb of energy into the air (Focus Blast) and put his arms to his head, making himself look like a drill. He then rotated up into the air until he stabbed the Focus Blast (Drill Run). The orb split into multiple orbs and crashed down onto all my clones, including me.

I got up and managed to evade being crushed by Doryuzu when he landed on the ground. But there was one thing I took advantage of. There was dust everywhere when he landed, practically blinding the both of us. I smirked, knowing that a Rentorar's eyes could see through everything like x-ray vision. I scanned the dust and found Doryuzu a few feet away from me.

I jumped and used Crunch on his arm. I bit down hard enough to sting but not restrict his whole arm with pain. I retreated before Doryuzu got to hurt me again.

Our battle continued until we were both tired out.

~.~.~

**_Normal POV…_**

Satoshi, Iris, Dent, Hikari, and Jun were watching Doryuzu and Shinji's battle.

"So Rentorar really used to be _that_ Kolink? Wow, he's grown so much since then! A job well done, Hikari!" Satoshi nudged her. "Have you been talking to Shinji every now and then?"

Hikari sweatdropped. "Um… well… not really. We only talked once through the video phone, but… it was a great conversation…"

Jun facepalmed himself. "… Satoshi, have you not been listening to me right now? I'm gonna fine you if you don't pay attention carefully to what I say!" He slid his arm over Satoshi's shoulder. "You know how Hikari said that Rentorar was her _friend's_ Pokémon?"

"Yeah…"

"And you know how that _friend_ is Shinji?"

Satoshi blinked. "Yeah…"

"Did you know that that Rentorar is Hikari's crush's Pokémon?"

Hikari's face turned red again. "J-Jun! Quit it, dammit!"

A blank expression was shown on Satoshi's face. "Will you _please_ get to the point already?"

Everyone, but Satoshi, fell to the ground. They couldn't believe how dense this boy was!

"Oh, for the love of…" Iris muttered. "Jun is saying that Hikari likes that Shinji guy!"

Hikari turned red to the point where smoke was emitting from her face. "I-I-Iris!" She flailed her arms about.

Iris slapped her mouth shut. "Oops! S-sorry, Hikari!"

Dent chuckled. "What an adorable and bright taste you have, Hikari-San." He snapped his fingers. "You seem very open to new opportunities of your interests and enjoy graceful and beautiful events with your Pokémon!"

"Whoa! How did you know that?"

Iris crossed her arms and smiled, pointing at Dent. "It's part of his skill as a Sommelier. He can read into people's personalities and find the best way to be friends with them! Amazing, isn't it?"

"It certainly is!"

Meanwhile, Satoshi and Jun were catching up with each other.

"So, Satoshi… how many badges did you get?"

Satoshi smirked as he showed off his badge case. "I'm halfway done, Jun! I got my Bolt Badge here recently!"

Jun's jaw hung open. "WAIT, WHAT? You mean, you're actually ahead of me? No way! I will _never_ accept that!" He speeded past Iris but knocked her off balance! "Oh crap! Sorry!" He didn't stop but kept running to wherever the gym was.

Iris fell backwards but Dent managed to catch her in his arms. "Hey! Watch where you're going, you idiot!" she shrieked. Dent helped her back up. "Thanks, Dent." She brushed the dust off her clothes.

Hikari slapped her forehead. "Sorry about Jun. He can get… over-enthusiastic sometimes." She laughed nervously. "Um, I don't mean to be rude, but… are you two dating by any chance?"

Iris blushed. "D-dating? N-no, of course not! W-why would you think that of all things?"

"Sorry, Iris. It's just that you two seem really close, so I just assumed…"

Dent chuckled. "Well, it's true that we did become close as we traveled around, right, Iris?"

"Uh… yeah… we did!" Iris stuttered. "But it's not like we're close enough to date!"

"You think so?" Dent innocently asked. This caused Iris to turn a little red and Hikari to giggle. "But you do have a certain taste that can attract people to you."

Iris puffed her cheeks. "Stop saying those things! I'm gonna go play with the Pokémon, okay?" She ran off to where everyone's Pokémon were.

Dent blinked in confusion. "Did I… say something bad?"

Hikari giggled. "No, you didn't. She's just… in that beginning stage, I suppose."

"Um… Okay?" Dent shrugged it off. "Well, why don't we cook up some lunch?" He took out all the necessary equipment and ingredients to cook. Hikari realized that Dent was almost similar to Takeshi. They both liked to cook, and they also had things that she thought would never fit into a backpack. "Alright! It's cooking time!"

~.~.~

**_Shinji's POV…_**

Doryuzu and I still battled until Iris came along. "Hey guys!" We both looked at Iris then at each other. We decided to call it a draw.

_"Great battle, Rentorar. I think I got some new strategies from you."_

_"Same here, Doryuzu."_

"Your battle was amazing! It was like your powers were equally matched!" Iris giggled. "Hey, I heard that Hikari really likes your master, Rentorar! Is that true?"

I felt a blush striking my cheeks as I nodded. _"Who did you hear that from, exactly?"_

Suddenly, a mini green dinosaur-like Pokémon popped out of Iris's hair. I stepped back from surprise.

Iris patted the Pokémon's head. "This is Kibago (Axew), one of my partners."

_"Hi, Rentorar!"_ Kibago greeted.

_"Uh, hi… Kibago."_

_"Ne, ne, are you a caught Pokémon, by any chance?"_

I shook my head. _"No, not at all. I guess you can say I just chose to follow Shinji."_

Doryuzu glanced at me. _"But didn't he try to catch you?"_

I sweatdropped. I didn't expect to answer these questions so soon and didn't think of any. _"Well, he somehow understood my situation so he decided not to."_ Yeah, right. I would've tried to catch a strong Pokémon, even if it didn't want to be caught.

_"Oh, is that so? Well, that was nice of him!"_

_"Yeah… I guess so…"_

Suddenly, Iris was staring at me. I felt slightly uneasy for some reason. After a few seconds, I then knew why. She started playing with mane, tail, and fur. "Wow! You're so soft, Rentorar!" She patted me on my mane and scratched me around. It was getting irritating… _very_ irritating. Her Pokémon warned Iris. They must've sensed something ominous from me.

Then, I couldn't take it anymore. _"Stop it!"_ I released enough electricity to shock her, but not fry her.

"Whoa…! That was shocking…!" She fell on the ground with her eyes swirling around.

_"Err… Sorry, Iris. That was an accident."_

Doryuzu sighed, picking up Iris. _"It's fine. She usually likes to play with Pokémon so much to the point where they attack her."_ He laughed nervously. _"Don't take it against her, okay?"_

I promised I won't. Doryuzu and Kibago went away to wake up Iris. Meanwhile, Pikachu came over to me again. _"How come you haven't evolved yet? Shouldn't you have evolved into a Raichu by now?"_

Pikachu exhaled as he looked up at the sky. _"Hmmm… it's a really long story… back when Satoshi and I had our very first journey through Kantou."_ He smiled, reminiscing that day in the hospital. _"You see, it was when I lost to a Raichu in a gym battle skilled in Electric-type Pokémon. I was hurt so badly that I had to be hospitalized with all those machines and stuff."_ He laughed nervously at the memory.

_"That bad?"_

He nodded. _"Yeah… Satoshi then showed a Thunderstone to me. He wanted me to decide whether I wanted to evolve into a Raichu and defeat the gym leader or defeat the leader without evolving."_ His paw clenched into a fist. _"But I didn't want to change. I wanted to defeat Lt. Surge as a Pikachu and make something out of it. I wanted to stay as a Pikachu and make Satoshi and my name known."_

_"Is that it? You just wanted to make a name for you and Satoshi?"_

Pikachu shook his head. _"That's what I thought for a while. But then I realized something."_ His tail lightly tapped the grass. _"I thought… if I evolved… my bond with Satoshi, all the memories that we had while I was a Pikachu, and all the fun we had would disappear. I would've had a new power, a new appearance, and maybe, a new personality."_

I stared at Pikachu for a while and also looked up at the sky. Pikachu went through so many things just to decide to stay as himself.

"Hey, everyone! It's lunch time!" Hikari called. Everyone flocked over to where the table was. I walked over to where the food was, too.

Bond… Memories… Fun with Hikari and the others…

They were precious times to me, and I wanted to keep them close.

~.~.~

_A/N: I'm sorry for the REALLY late update, guys! School has been killing me and Ichi. We're trying to get time to do what we want to do, so yeah… Forgive me, guys! QAQ_

**_*tsundere_**_ – It's… a personality trait, I guess. It's like you have a warm personality, but then you switch to giving someone a cold shoulder. It's what happens when characters in manga/anime are in love with someone but they don't want to show it. xDDD It's really cute, if you ask me._

_For this chapter, I'll be answering some reviews/questions from you guys! ^^_

_pokemon 3 love__ – Hmmm, as much as I'd love to write a story of Hikari as a Pokémon traveling with Shinji, I probably won't have a good plot. ^^"_

_FairoNeko__ – Of course! I guess I based this story on the anime, manga, and games. It's mostly the anime though. No, N hasn't appeared yet._

_Palkia's Princess__ – Sorry for the late update!_

_DGMSilverAirHead03__ – Ooh, nice idea! I'm definitely gonna do that! 8'D_

_Midnightmoon602__ – Thank you! ^^_

_SoulSilverShipping__ – Yeah, I figured. I'll do better next time! :3_

_splitheart1120__ – Haha, only time can tell. :D_


	17. The Ferriswheel

_A/N: … Hit me, PLEASE. I deserve it for not updating this for 4 months! QAQ I'm sorry! _

_I have some news, though.  
Mystique may not be updated so often, due to my effort to submit my own manga to a Japanese manga publisher in Japan. Wish me luck, please!  
Also… I won't be writing Pokémon Gym battle scenes in my chapters anymore. I know that it's part of Shinji's growth and all, but I think it's okay to cut it off here. Shinji is a Rentorar, after all. Sorry, gym battle fans. :(_

**Mystique  
CH 17: The Ferriswheel **

I must've been continuously glancing at Hikari.

We were resting in front of the large fountain near Gear Station. Satoshi, Iris, and Dent were still here. I was assuming that we were going to travel together for a while. Jun already won his Bolt Badge, while Hikari was at her third attempt.

Hikari smiled at me and rubbed my head. "I'm not depressed, Rentorar. No need to worry!" That's when I worry the most. "But you know, I noticed something…" I cocked my head in curiosity. Hikari sweatdropped as she looked behind her. "Since when did our group get so… big?"

I looked behind us and noticed the same thing. Hikari, me, Jun, Satoshi, Iris, Dent, Touko, and Touya were all in the same area. _"You're right… I just might feel claustrophobic if I neared all those Pokémon playing around."_ Most of everyone's Pokémon were chasing each other or loitering around the area. Hikari and I were sitting on the edge of the fountain, watching the water splash about.

As I stared at the rippling water, a dangerous thought sprung up to my head: N. When I thought about it, N appeared at almost every city we've been to. He's challenged Hikari to a battle every time too. Would he appear in Raimon City and challenge her again?

My body became very alert with such thoughts.

"R-Rentorar, are you angry with me? I know that you want to get to Shinji quickly… It's probably my fault…"

My train of thoughts broke as I heard that line. My eyes widened as I jerked my head to the blunette next to me. _"It's not your fault. It's mine. I never should've made you put up with this. I should've told you the truth that time."_

I was absolutely sure that Hikari did not understand a word I said. There was no way she could.

"Rentorar…?"

"_Don't participate in the Isshu League,"_ I demanded. I used gestures to follow it up. _"I do care if you think this is the only way we'll meet each other."_

"Is that what you think?" Hikari asked. She sighed, most likely thinking of what we said to each other that day. "When I think about it, I do think that my part of the deal seems… long." She crouched and scratched my ears. "I mean… You're already a Rentorar, and yet, I told Shinji to wait until the Isshu League. I don't think that was fair to Shinji."

Her thoughts weren't the same as mine at all. Perhaps she thought this over more than I did.

"Should I tell Shinji that the deal is off?" She rested her head against her knees. "I really want to meet him as soon as possible." She smiled melancholically. "Yeah, maybe that's what I should do. I should tell Shinji that we can meet whenever he is ready to." She winked at me. "Plus, I think he'll be satisfied with the fact that I've finally raised you into a Rentorar, don't you think?"

I blinked in amazement. _"You… are surprisingly more optimistic than I thought."_ Hikari wasn't one to linger in the past for a long time. She was one to look at the future in an optimistic manner. That was one of her charms, I have to admit.

"That's why… The next time I meet Shinji, I will tell him that it's okay to cut off the deal. Do you think he'll be okay with it?" She seemed to hesitate about her decision. "I mean, he seems like he's not the type to go back on his word, don't you think?"

I cocked a brow as I averted my eyes to different direction. _"Do I seem like that to you? Although I do think that might be true…"_ I scratched my head with my tail. But nevertheless, I was willing to stop this promise we made. If she wanted to meet me as soon as possible, that was what I was going to give her.

Evolving back into my human self became first priority – like it always was.

Suddenly, I heard faint shouting behind us. It was a girl, shouting excitedly like there was no tomorrow, and a very familiar boy's voice. I turned my head to that direction and focused my vision ahead. There was a tall blonde girl, along with Cheren chasing after her.

"_Cheren?"_

"Bel, stop running! It's not going to get you anywhere, you know!"

"But I want to go the amusement park!" Bel, as Cheren called, ran even faster towards us. "Move it, move it, move it!" She nearly crashed into Jun until Satoshi and Dent managed to catch her. "Woo, that was close! Thanks, you two!"

"It's been a while, hasn't it, Bel?" Dent smiled as he sweatdropped.

"You almost crashed into me, blondie!" Jun exclaimed. "I swear I'm gonna fine you for that!"

Bel's eyes went bug-eyed at Jun. "F-fine, you say? How much?"

"FOUR-MMPH!" His mouth was covered by Hikari.

She laughed nervously. "Um, don't worry about him. He's just joking around, you know?" I suppose Jun was protesting about how it wasn't a joke. "So who are you?"

The blonde girl stood straight up. She was taller than any of us here. "My name is Bel! I'm Cheren, Touko, and Touya's childhood friend!" She looked around, puzzled. "Hm? Where's Cheren?"

"I'm… over… here," Cheren wheezed. "Didn't you already get your Bolt Badge, Bel?"

"I did, but I went back to train a little more!" Bel pouted. "I heard about the ferriswheel and I wanted to ride it SO badly!" Then it seemed like a light bulb lit up in her head. "Hey! Why don't we all ride the ferriswheel? It'll be fun!"

Everyone looked at each other, wondering if a little fun would be okay. Their answer was obvious, right?

"Well, I suppose I can leave the Pokémon Musical to the staff," Touko murmured.

"I'm up for it!" Hikari squealed. "I've always wanted to ride one of those! There aren't any in our regions…" She pointed to Jun, Satoshi, and her. The rest dropped their jaws in shock. My eyes looked up in defeat. There was no way to ever calm these people down.

"You are coming with us." They all dragged us into the amusement park. We passed Kamitsure's (Elesa's) gym, standing out as usual. I've always wondered if people ever walked in there thinking it was just a roller coaster. She did have a roller coaster in there, but it all lead to Kamitsure.

"Here," Touko paused, "is Raimon City's grand Ferris Wheel!" She winked at us. "They say that if you kiss at the top of the ferriswheel while riding it, you'll be together forever!" Her expression was filled with, what Hikari would say, joy of love. "Isn't it so romantic? I would just _die_ to have my kiss of fate on this Ferris Wheel!"

I rolled my eyes. What a troublesome bunch they are. But my gaze averted to Hikari, who was staring at the ferriswheel with hope-filled eyes. I sighed. _"I knew it…"_

"So… let's pair up! Only two people can ride per car."

"Let's see…" Touya listed the people we had. "There are Satoshi, Iris, Dent, Hikari, Jun, Bel, Cheren, you, and me." They didn't count me. I waited for them to decide partners for each other, unless they wanted to ride alone.

"W-we'll go first, I guess…" Iris muttered. She decided to go with Dent. "L-let's go, Dent."

Dent smiled fondly and linked arms with her. "Your wish is my pleasure, Iris." They both stepped in the car together and waited for the ferriswheel to rotate. The next car arrived and Cheren and Bel went next.

"We'll see you later, okay?" Bel gave us a thumbs-up. "I'll give you a wave when I see ya!"

Cheren pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "Alright, Bel, just enter already. Ladies first." Bel entered the car and Cheren stepped in after her.

When the next car came, Jun tapped Hikari's shoulder. "Hey, I think I'll just hang back. This thing goes too slow for me."

Hikari giggled. "True. You're not a very patient person, right?"

Jun grunted. "Sure, sure, whatever." He nudged Touya and grinned. "Hey, wanna take a round?"

Touya smirked and enlarged his PokéBall. "Any time, buddy." While those two prepared to battle, Hikari and I stepped in the car, shrugging. There was no stopping those two trainers.

Hikari sat on one of the seats while I sat in front of the door. The car moved for a few seconds and stopped for the next passenger. I saw Satoshi step in… until someone else hurried in with him. I blinked in confusion. Who was that? All I saw was a flash of orange enter the car. "KASUMI?" I heard him shout in surprise.

We both looked back to see an orange-haired girl sitting in front of Satoshi. Kasumi, as he called her, gave him a huge smile. I didn't want to hear their conversation, so I just looked out the window outside. Touko was the only one left. Suddenly, a certain scent clashed into my nose the moment she was about to step in the car.

"_No!"_ I cried. It was too late.

~.~.~

_**Normal POV…**_

Iris and Dent were sitting across each other in the car. They had to deal with several stops because of the others, but they didn't mind it. But they were silent throughout the short stops.

That was until Dent started the conversation.

"It looks like we got quite the group today!"

Iris nodded in agreement. "Who would've thought we would meet together in one city?" She looked down at the other cars, where everyone else was sitting calmly inside. "Hey, I think there's someone inside with Satoshi!" She pressed her nose against the glass, catching a glimpse of orange hair. "Do we know anyone with orange hair?"

Dent shook his head. "Not that I know of." He shrugged it off and leaned on his knees. "But let's not talk about that. So how have you been doing with your dragon master training?"

"My resolve to become hasn't changed, that's for sure!" she replied. "But it's all thanks to you, Dent. Your skills as a Sommelier helped me to understand them and strengthen my bonds with my Pokémon." She smiled with enthusiasm. "I'm very thankful and happy that you came with us, Dent."

"No, no, the pleasure is all mine. I enjoy spending time with you, Iris." Her heart skipped a beat. "Of course, we can't exclude Satoshi."

Iris sweatdropped in slight disappointment. "Of course! Satoshi's part of our team after all."

"But you know…" Dent crossed his arms. "I don't mean to outcast Satoshi, but I have a better time talking with you."

"Why not Satoshi? He's a good guy, I guess… despite his dense head…"

"Well, I always get the feeling that Satoshi sometimes longs for someone else to talk to." Dent smiled at the car where Satoshi was. "Perhaps that carrot top over there can explain things." He averted his eyes to Iris. "Having you as company is interesting and fun, Iris. Plus, we have a lot of things to talk about."

Iris laughed nervously. "Yeah… All Satoshi talks about is training and getting stronger, after all. I don't think we'll ever be able to get a different kind of talk out of him other than battling." Why yes, she did love to troll about Satoshi behind his back.

Dent blinked and suddenly changed the topic, "Do you have any future plans after becoming a dragon master?"

"Of course! I plan on traveling around the regions to learn about the dragons from each region!"

"That's a nice plan indeed." Dent leaned against his hand. "I'm asking out of curiosity, but do you plan on letting others travel with you?"

Iris shrugged. "Maybe. I guess it depends on who I meet along the way." She looked outside the window of the ferriswheel. _Although… Traveling with you doesn't seem so bad,_ she thought. Her cheeks turned red at the thought.

An amused chuckle sounded from Dent. _How adorable._

Iris puffed her cheeks. "Geez, don't laugh, Dent!" She lightly punched the boy's arm.

"I'm sorry, Iris." Dent tried to hold in another chuckle. "It's just that your goals look so fulfilling that I can't help but smile at it." He looked outside and leaned against the window with his arm. "I can see that you have great potential, Iris. I too also hope to become a world-class Sommelier, but it seems pretty big, don't you think?"

"T-that's not true!" Iris retorted. "You've always been working hard with your skills and I _have_ to commend you for that! Don't say that that dream is too big! If it's you, I just know you can do-!" She suddenly stood up in the heat of it, rocking the ferriswheel car. "W-whoa!" She lost her balance and tipped backwards.

"Iris!" Dent rushed to grab Iris from falling. However, the rocking of the car also made him lose balance. They both crashed against the wall of the car. If people noticed how there was one car that was crazily rocking back and forth, they would've that it was hell in there.

But of course, in the hectic-looking car was the complete opposite. It was almost like bliss! Why?

"You okay, Iris?" Iris opened her eyes and saw Dent looking down at her. "You're not hurt anywhere, are you?" Heat rose to her face as she realized how close they were.

"Ah… awawa!" she stuttered. "Close! You're too close!" She was about to push him away, but he interfered with that. He restricted her hands from moving. "D-Dent…?"

Dent grinned his usual grins. "Let me just tell you this, Iris." He slightly closed more distance between their faces. "I also have a devilish character to me at times." Iris felt like Dent may have been grinning as usual, but the aura was just a tad – no, a lot more different than when they were with Satoshi. He sighed and helped her up. "You shouldn't be so clumsy, Iris. You worry me too, you know."

Iris was still processing the event a few seconds ago. "Err… yeah, sorry… Dent."

"Also…" Dent put one finger to his lips and winked. "Keep what I said earlier a secret, okay?"

"… Okay." It seemed like it would take another whole round of the ferriswheel for her to calm down.

~.~.~

Bel was chattering away with Cheren looking bored.

"Munna was like the most adorable…!"

"Bel…"

"You should've seen those Team Plasma guys!"

"… Bel…"

"But luckily, Touko and Touya defeated them! And then…"

"_BEL!_" Cheren snapped. That got Bel to finally shut her mouth. "Geez, I decided to stay quiet for _half a minute_, and you're already annoying me with your stories!"

"Sorry… It's just that you're always awkward when you're silent." _Stab_. "Also, you never really did speak to me a lot, even when we were children…"_ Stab._ "Also, um, you kind of don't seem like you like me at all, so maybe I thought," _STAB._ "that I can try to talk to you so we can be a little closer?" _Stab, stab, stab._

Cheren received multiple blows to his ego. He never thought that Bel would say such words to him. Now he was wondering whether she said them on purpose or not.

"Do I seem like that kind of person…?"

Bel pursed her lips. "You don't. But I don't know. Whenever you looked at me, I always got this strange feeling that you didn't like me or something." She took her hat off and set it next to her. "Phew, it's hot in here!" Cheren cocked a brow. "Oh, you don't know what I'm talking about?"

"Not a thing."

"Even back in childhood, you were always staring at me for no reason." She scratched her head. "I mean, I would understand if I did something clumsy, but there were times when you looked at me while I was doing absolutely nothing."

Cheren snorted. "Nothing? That's hard to believe."

Bel stuck her tongue out. "Oh, you know what I mean!" She leaned against the seat of the car. "You always had this look on your face every time you stared at me." She thought long and hard. "It was an expression that looked like it was asking why you were in the same room as me…" _Crash_. "Did you and do you hate me or something? Was it something I did back then?"

She was becoming desperate to know. Cheren, on the other hand, felt like he was going to panic. He never really was good at expressing himself. All he was ever good at expressing was his logic and intellect. But emotions? He was bad with them. There was one time when he accidentally made Bel cry because he didn't look happy at his birthday present from her.

But really, he was truly happy and grateful for it.

"Sorry," he muttered. He couldn't look at Bel's eyes, now that he heard all that. He recalled that birthday present again, remembering how happy it made him. But instead of giving his gratitude, he also received a sad response about his reaction.

"Cheren… You're staring at me like that again…"

His train of thoughts was broken, and Cheren found himself staring at Bel again. He frantically shook his head, clearing up his head of that memory.

"I'm sorry for talking so much earlier."

_That's not it_, he thought.

"I was hoping you would get interested in some of my stories, but I guess they're not that amusing."

_They were fun to hear. You looked you were having so much fun telling it._

"I guess it'd take a long time for us to get really close, huh?"

_I like you._

Cheren's eyes widened. _… Like…?_ He perked his head up at the blonde, who was awkwardly fiddling with her head. "That's it…"

"What's it?"

If the boy was not together with Bel in the same car alone, he would've retorted a mean comment at her. But this time, without even thinking of his pride, he said the words, "I like you."

"H-huh?" Bel became flustered. "W-wait, but I thought you didn't!"

"You're wrong. I liked you, and I still do!" Cheren embarrassingly nudged his glasses up. "I'm… I'm just not good at expressing myself." He sighed, averting his eyes away from Bel. "T-that's all."

"I'm glad…!" Bel giggled. "I'm so glad to hear that. I've always thought that you hated me because of my clumsiness!" She played with her hat. "I'm glad you told me, Cheren. I really am." She smiled innocently at him. "Let's be really close friends, Cheren! I'll be one of the best friends you could ever have!"

Suddenly, it felt like bricks fell from the sky onto Cheren's head. "Friends…?"

"Yeah!" Bel blinked in confusion. "Well, it's not like you 'love' like me. You just meant 'best friends' like, didn't you?"

Cheren sighed. "You're just impossible…"

"Eh? What…? What did I do…?" Bel wailed.

"Never mind." He scratched his head in defeat. "I'll have you… someday."

~.~.~

"What are you so surprised for?"

"But you-!"

"But me, what?"

"Where in the world did you come from, Kasu?" Satoshi exclaimed. "Why didn't you call a Pokémon Center to tell me you were in Isshu?" He relaxed in the seat, recovering from the momentary shock he received. "So why are you here, Kasu? I thought you were going to remain the sole leader of Hanada City (Cerulean City)."

The carrot top rolled her eyes.

"What, was it hard that you decided to give up?" That gave Satoshi a hard blow to his head by her mallet. He laughed, rubbing the lump that grew on his head. "Hehe, you haven't changed, huh?" Another blow to his head. "OW! WHAT NOW?"

"_First_ of all, I still am the sole leader of Hanada Gym." Kasumi stuck her tongue out at him. "I'm not that weak, you know." She leaned towards Satoshi. "Anything _else_ you see different about me?"

Satoshi looked at Kasumi closely. He saw that Kasumi's hair became a little longer than her shoulders, but he assumed that she didn't care about that. Her skin also became a little paler. He didn't see too much of a difference other than those. "Um, not really…"

Kasumi sighed in defeat. "Naturally I would beat you to a pulp, but I guess I shouldn't." She crossed her legs. "I decided to grow my hair and let it down. How do I look?"

_So girls do care about hair…?_ He smiled. "I think you look pretty, Kasu." Kasumi blushed at the comment. "You look more feminine than before." Of course that was the mistake.

A vein popped in Kasumi's forehead. "Then how did I look back then, hm?"

Not noticing the threatening aura from Kasumi, Satoshi went ahead. "With the way you dressed, I'd say a boy!"

"… I think it was a mistake to come here to meet you," Kasumi murmured. "You haven't changed at all, Satoshi. Dense, hard-headed… and not caring of other girl's feelings." She hid her head within her hands as she bent down to her knees. "Haven't you learned anything?"

Satoshi was beginning to panic. He wasn't good with girls when they were crying. "U-uh, Ka-Kasu, are you okay?"

"Do you know how much I missed you?" she asked. "Every time I had a new challenger, I was reminded of you. Can you ever understand that?" She didn't lift her face from her hands. "Just when I finally decided to take a small vacation to go meet you, I'm greeted with such an idiotic response from you."

"What is it that you want me to say then, Kasu?" Satoshi sighed. "You're really confusing me with all this girl talk…"

"It's not girl talk. I'm talking about you and me, Satoshi…" Kasumi sniffed.

"Wait, are you crying?" Satoshi finally panicked and rushed over to the carrot top. "W-what's wrong? Are you hurt anywhere?"

"I love you," she quietly squeaked.

"What?"

Kasumi finally looked up into Satoshi's eyes. There were streams of tears dripping down from her shining green eyes. "I love you, Satoshi. I've waited for years and years to build up the courage to tell you that. Ever since we parted, I realized that I was in love with you." She sniffed. "And you haven't even noticed… Must I have to tell you everything for you to know?"

"Ka… su…" This was a huge shock to Satoshi. He couldn't believe that his best friend was in love with him. He never even stopped to think about love in his whole life, until now. "You… Do you really love me?"

"I'll say it as many as I want! I loved you, I love you, I will love you!" Her usual confident voice couldn't come out. _I knew it. I can't do this._ The stubborn tomboy she usually was wouldn't appear this time. She shut her eyes and tried to hide this embarrassing side of her. "I'm sorry. Just forget what I just said."

However, Satoshi grabbed her wrists and forced them away from Kasumi. "How can I forget that? How can I forget it when you're right here in front of me, crying about it?" He embraced her. "You can't expect me to pretend nothing happened, right?" He stroked her soft orange hair ever so slightly. "Why didn't you say anything all these years?"

At this point, Kasumi couldn't speak anymore. She hugged him back, crying into his chest. "Satoshi…!"

"Alright, alright… I'm here, I'm here. I'll listen to whatever you want to say."

They didn't part at all, but stayed close together.

~.~.~

"_Get me out! Get this fucking door open!"_ Shinji cried out. He was practically trying to slash the door open. _"That girl is in trouble! FUCK!"_

Hikari also looked at the same direction as Shinji. Her heart stopped. "No! Why is he in there with Touko-Chan?"

It was the same scent as before – the scent of the same man that caused pain for all trainers and Pokémon.

N. N Harmonia.

Shinji was snarling loudly. He wanted to bite the door off and jump out, but that would put Hikari in danger. There was no way he was able to get out without leaving Hikari alone. Plus, if he went through the window, Hikari would've had to pay for the damages. All he was able to do was watch.

"We have to save her! Who knows what he'll do to her?" Hikari saw Jun and Touya battling below. "Jun! Jun! Touya-Kun! Touya-Kun!" She banged against the window as hard as she can. She couldn't catch their attention. They were already too high up for anyone to hear! "Jun! Touya-Kun!"

While Hikari was begging for help, Shinji kept his eye on the car. _"Why isn't he doing anything? He's just sitting there in front of Touko-San."_ He couldn't understand. Why wasn't he trying to hurt her like how he did to them in previous cities? He jumped off the seat and tugged at Hikari's scarf. _"Come over here and look."_

They both looked outside the window to confirm that N wasn't hurting Touko. It was true. He wasn't. But it did seem like they were talking rather quietly. But Shinji still sensed danger. It wasn't the previous experiences that were causing his instinct to act up. He was sensing actual danger. But strangely, the danger didn't seem to come from N himself.

He looked around to locate the source of the danger, but it was nowhere to be found. But his focus still remained on N. He had to see what he was planning to do.

"I can't get a hold on them…!" Hikari panted. She pressed her hand against the glass. "It's too thick to make a sound when I bang on it either!" She went back to where I was. "Touko-Chan… Please be okay…!"

Shinji was able to see it. He was able to see the fear and pain Hikari went through when N hurt him. He sighed. There was no helping it now. He nuzzled his head through Hikari's arm. _"Don't think about that. I don't want to see you recalling that memory again."_

Hikari was slightly startled, but she soon smiled. Her gentle and small hands combed his fur. "Thanks, Rentorar." She began to play with his ears while looking out at the car Touko and N was in.

Shinji didn't mind whether she was looking out or not. As long as he was with her, he was fine. _"I feel like I just replaced your dearly beloved Pochama."_

On cue, Pochama appeared out of Hikari's PokéBall. _"I will _NOT_ be replaced by your sorry ass, predator!"_ he dramatically announced. Then he started pecking my head. It didn't hurt, but it snapped a nerve.

"_Why you-!"_ Shinji leapt at Pochama and held him to the floor. _"You're really testing my patience, penguin."_ He smirked at the struggling Pochama. _"Remember when I said I'll swallow you whole someday? Maybe it's that day today."_

Pochama looked terrified.

"Geez, stop, both of you!" Hikari broke the two apart. "No one is replacing anyone. Pochama will always be my best friend!" She patted Shinji. "Sorry, Rentorar."

Shinji chuckled. _"Then I wonder what you think of me?"_ He smugly rolled his eyes. Then he mouthed his own name. Hikari turned red. _"I thought so."_

"Stop making fun of me!"

A sound caught Shinji's ears. He looked through the ferriswheel car and saw an opened car with N and Touko standing right in front of it. _"What the…? Wait a minute, there's no way he'd-!"_

Hikari looked. "Pochama… hop on Rentorar's back…" Pochama did so without a complaint. They all knew what was going to happen. Hikari didn't look back even once. "Rentorar, go save Touko-Chan."

~.~.~

Touko was shoved into the ferriswheel car and crashed into the opposite side of the car. "Owie, owie, owie… Hey, what's the big id-?" She gasped when she was the towering figure blocking the only exit out of the car.

A boy with long green hair was staring at her with curious eyes.

"N!" Touko covered her mouth in horrifying shock. "What are you doing here…? What do you want?"

N blinked at Touko for a few moments before sitting down. "I would like you to be at ease first… It feels a little uncomfortable when you react like that, Touko-San…"

"Don't act so familiar with me!" Touko snapped. "Do you realize what you've done? Who are you, exactly?" She quickly sat down, her eyes focused on only the boy before her. Yes, she knew N. She encountered him many times before coming to Raimon City. She was exactly the same as Hikari. A silence engulfed the inside of the car. "What? You're not going to answer?"

A long sigh was heard from the boy. N placed his arm on the edge of the window. "First of all, let me tell you," he paused to look at Touko, "I am the king of Team Plasma."

Touko's eyes widened. "W-what did you just say? T-Team Plasma?"

N glanced at the terrified Touko. "I don't like to repeat myself, but yes, I'm the _king_ of Team Plasma."

"Why are you the king?" she quietly murmured.

"Ghetsis asked me to work with him to save the Pokémon… to free them." N looked out the window. Buildings. Humans. Pokémon. "Team Plasma wants to free them from the humans' clutches." He didn't look at Touko; he didn't need to. He already felt the fright that was emitting from Touko. "I wonder how many Pokémon there are in the world…"

Silence fell between them, as Touko only looked down and N looking outside. Touko didn't want to ask about who Ghetsis was. He wasn't the problem. The problem was right in front of her. Why did N choose her? Why would he tell her this?

"Do you… like being the king of Team Plasma, the group that wants to free Pokémon from people?" Touko slapped her mouth shut. _Stupid, stupid, stupid! Why did I just ask that out loud?_ She froze when N averted his attention to her. "I-I'm sorry, p-please forget what I just said." When N stood up, she flinched. "P-Please don't hurt me…!"

"I don't want to hurt you, Touko-San." N stared at her. "But I want to know your opinion. Why do you not want me to free the Pokémon?"

Touko gave a big sigh. "First, sit down, N. You'll fall when the ferriswheel stops." N did as she told. Touko then let out Mijumaru on her lap. "See him? Ask Mijumaru if he's happy being with me. I assure you that he loves to spend everyday with me, like I love to with him." N was silent. "Fine. But if you free him from me, it'll be a lose-lose situation."

"How so?" He finally spoke.

"Not only will I be lonely and sad, Mijumaru won't have anyone to spend his time with alone."

"But that's where other species of Pokémon comes alo-!"

"You don't get it, N!" Touko interrupted. "Can't you see? Pokémon love human contact. No matter how separated they are, their desire and curiosity to be with humans will always draw them to us. Mijumaru and I can't stand be separated. Our time so far was short, but we've created such a strong bond already. You can't break that bond, N, it's wrong."

"_That's right! There's no way I'm going to let you take her away from me! Touko's my best friend and my only one!"_ Mijumaru declared.

"Even you have Pokémon, don't you? Don't you love your Pokémon, like how they love you back?"

"I…"

"Wouldn't you also feel horrible if your precious friends were taken away from you, N?" Touko exhaled. "I'm done for now." She returned Mijumaru back into his PokéBall and looked at N. He was looking down at his hands, quiet.

_Do it._

"No…" N muttered.

_Crush her dreams._

"I can't…"

Touko blinked in confusion. "What?"

_**Kill her.**_

"NO!" N screamed. He forced the ferriswheel door open and grabbed Touko.

"Wait, what are you-?" Touko shrieked at the height they were at. "Are you crazy? Are you going to make me jump from here?"

N gripped Touko's wrist even tighter. "You almost changed my resolve to free the Pokémon." He looked at her, but Touko didn't feel scared. She was surprised. But the question was… by what? "We have to go now!"

Suddenly, the sound of shattering glass was heard. N and Touko jerked their heads to the source of the sound and found a raging Rentorar and Pochama coming straight towards them. N's eyes widened.

Without a second thought, N slightly smiled and pushed Touko off the car. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

"_**KYAAA!"**_ Touko shrieked. "Someone, help me!"

Shinji immediately used the car to boost his jump. He sped through the air as fast as he can and grabbed Touko's shirt in his mouth. He prepared to land on the ground, but with this height, even he knew that it was impossible to land softly like a cat would. He was prepared for the consequences.

"Roserade, Petal Dance!" someone cried out. A large wave of red petals quickly flowed through the air towards them. The person was trying to cushion them with the petals!

"Close your eyes, hurry!" The most familiar voice was heard between them. Shinji, Touko, and Pochama were shocked. "I…" Shinji shut his eyes as they landed in the lake of rose petals.

Words… human words… had come out of Rentorar's mouth.

Shinji was able to talk.

~.~.~

_**Shinji's POV…**_

My nose stung. A strong scent of roses pierced my nose. I snapped my eyes open and looked around. Touko and Pochama were within my grip. They were unconscious from the sudden shock of it.

"Thank goodness, you guys are okay!" I looked towards the voice. A brunette with blue eyes helped me up. "When we saw you three falling down, we just acted immediately!" She sighed in relief. "I'm glad we were able to save you…"

"We?" A boy with green hair murmured under his breath. I thought he was some kind of playboy. "I'm the one who acted first, you know."

"But I saw them first," the brunette argued.

"Alright, alright," the boy chuckled. "These two seem like they fainted, but Rentorar seems alright." He kneeled down next to me. "Do you remember what happened?"

I opened my mouth to speak, but fearing what happened before, I simply nodded my head. I gestured towards Hikari, who was running towards us. "Pochama! Rentorar! Touko-Chan!"

Everyone was beginning to circle around us, extremely worried about what happened earlier.

"Haruka!" Hikari called, as she hugged the brunette. "Why are you here?"

The brunette, named Haruka, hugged Hikari back. "Hikari! I never thought I'd meet you here!" The two then averted their attention to the three of us. "I just suddenly saw three falling figures-"

"So I acted first and used Petal Dance to cushion their fall."

"It doesn't matter who saw or acted first!" Touya yelled. "We have to get them to the Pokémon Center, _now_!" Touya carried Touko on his back and ran towards the Pokémon Center.

"I'll go handle the ferriswheel problem." Hikari turned to face the scolding of the ferriswheel mechanic. I put Pochama on my back and followed Hikari. I could tell that she was in deep shit. However, the mechanic didn't seem too angry. "Excuse me, sir, I know you must steaming mad inside…"

The mechanic sighed and smiled at us. "Actually, I'm not. Kamitsure-San explained the situation to me, so I'll overlook this." He took a long look at the shattered window, but he didn't show any disappointment. "Besides, you did the right thing. I saw that one of the car doors were open and suddenly the girl is pushed!"

Hikari gave him a deep bow. "I'm so sorry about breaking the window, though. I'm sorry."

"No need to apologize, miss!" the mechanic laughed. "I'm just glad that you three are safe. This Rentorar of yours has grown to be quite the hero, hasn't he?"

She looked at me and winked. "Yes, he sure has." She returned Pochama back into his PokéBall.

After a few more exchanges of words, we headed back to the whole group. There was a lot of commotion among the visitors. Kamitsure and the staff did their best to calm everyone down. Everyone was relieved that we were safe.

But I didn't think so. I knew it wasn't over yet. I was sure Hikari knew too.

I needed more information on his motive. N's motive. Was it out of good intention?

I saw an ominous green flashing away from the corner of my eye. He was the source of the danger. The atmosphere felt poisoned by him.

What's more…

That was not N.

~.~.~

_A/N: SLAP ME ALL YOU WANT. I've finally finished writing this chapter! QAQ And it's right before the CSTs too. =w=" Ay… I'm done for._

_Anyways, please tell me what you think._

_The chapter will be including some drama, fluff, and of course IkariShipping!_

_Please review! :3 If not, you will suffer the consequences of waiting longer for the next chapter! xDDDDD lol. _


	18. Cobalt Orbs

_A/N: __… I have absolutely no comment. I really thank my readers who gave me constant reviews into helping me into finishing up the next chapter. That is why your reward is a little something I call… "Let's speed things up a little, shall we?" ;) Enjoy!  
And just as a quick reminder: I use Japanese names._

**Mystique****  
CH ****18****: ****Cobalt Orbs**

_How is this even possible?_ I grimly thought. _A Pokémon can't speak human words… unless they use telepathy. But there's no way certain way a Rentorar can have that ability! It's unheard of._

Was it a dream? Was it just a huge desire that suddenly sprung from inside before I thought I was going to die? I couldn't comprehend that event.

~.~.~

_**Flashback…**_

"**KYAAA!"** Touko shrieked. "Someone, help me!"

I immediately used the car to boost my jump. I sped through the air as fast as I can and grabbed Touko's shirt in my mouth. Even though I prepared to land on the ground… With this height, I knew that it was impossible to land softly like a cat would. I knew what the consequences were.

I was ready to accept it.

One jump was all it took. It sent us plunging down from such high ground. I wanted to make sure that Touko and Pochama would be safe and uninjured. Well… at least more safe than me anyways. I shut my eyes. But a sound caught my hearing.

"Roserade, Petal Dance!" someone cried out. A large wave of red petals quickly flowed through the air towards us. The person was trying to cushion us with the petals!

"Close your eyes, hurry!" The voice that I hadn't heard in such a long time had echoed heavily in my ears. Pochama, Touko, and I were shocked. "I…" I shut my eyes as we landed in the lake of rose petals.

Words… human words… had come out of my mouth.

I was able to talk.

~.~.~

It was the next day. Everyone had gotten their rest after all the chaos that's happened yesterday.

Touko and Bel stayed in our room for the night. Hikari and Bel comforted Touko until the dark brunette fell asleep. I did my share of comforting Hikari myself. She had been worried sick ever since the accident. I simply curled up at the foot of her bed, my mane touching her toes.

They managed to sleep well. Not me, however.

It wasn't until the late morning when I had to confirm my suspicions.

My lip quivered from the temptation to hear my voice again. I looked around and outside the room. No one was around except Pochama. He was standing beside me, trying to help me "cope" with this.

"_It's now or never, Shinji,"_ Pochama sternly stated. _"If you keep staying silent like this, who knows what will happen next?"_

I opened my mouth in attempt to say something. But my voice just refused to come out. I swallowed that uncomfortable lump in my throat, feeling uncertain about this matter. Pochama placed his flipper on my mane out of sympathy. I didn't make an effort to slap his flipper away.

"…" I groaned in uneasiness. "Ah…" This was nothing. Even a Pokémon would've been able to make a sound like that. "My… name…" I swore my heart was going to stop.

Pochama's eyes grew wide. _"I knew it… You really did speak human language that time!"_ He fell on his bottom from the relief. He thought he went insane because he was frightened to death. _"But why?"_

"Maybe I'm just really close to becoming a human," I whispered. "I can't believe this." I stared out the window. I wanted the night sky to wash away my burdens, but even so, I knew it wasn't going to busy. "If Hikari hears me speak even once, she'll realize that it's me."

"_Well, what do you think is gonna happen?"_ Pochama tapped his beak in thought. _"I don't think she'll stay away from you though."_

He decided to be optimistic. I decided to be real. "That's not going to happen!" I quietly snarled. "She'll become heartbroken at the fact that the person she loves was beside her all this time… and she didn't even notice it." I facepalmed myself. "If she does, how will I explain myself? Don't you think the truth will sound crazy?"

Pochama scratched the back of his head, unable to think of another solution. _"But you should still try telling her. I have a feeling that it won't end well if you continue hiding it from her like this."_

"Damn it." I hated to admit it, but that kid was right. But… "So you're telling me to tell her that I accidentally frightened a Natio, was turned into a Kolink, was actually traveling with her all this time, and only returned to my human form during a full moon?" I stared down Pochama with the most doubtful expression. "Can you expect her to believe me?"

"_Okay, I'm just gonna go straight to the point."_ Pochama rubbed his head in frustration. _"You've been very sensitive lately."_

"So?"

"_You're lovesick."_

"Excuse me?" I replied in surprise. "Lovesick?"

"_You heard me,"_ Pochama sighed, _"You're so in love with Hikari-Chan that you're afraid of her reaction to your explanation. That's what part of being lovesick is."_ He shrugged. _"But then again… Hikari only left it at that, so I don't know much about being love__**sick**__."_ He proudly pounded his chest. _"But let me tell you that I've been in love before, so I know a lot."_

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, and I'm quite sure you've been heartbroken those times too."

_Knock knock._

I accidentally choked on my breath and started coughing. Pochama jumped from surprise and started to panic. I slammed my paw down on him to calm him down. I saw through the door only to see Touko alone. I pretended to growl as best as I can. She flinched at my voice and nervously opened the door.

She poked her head in the room, seeing only me and Pochama. "Oh phew. I thought Jun-San was going to be in here." Touko closed the door, turned the lock, and slowly approached us. "I want to thank you for saving me before. And… um… Okay, just so I know that I wasn't dreaming…"

_I'd rather lock myself up than reveal it to you. Sorry about that,_ I thought in my head. I cocked my head to the side, as if I didn't know what she was talking about.

Touko blinked at me. "Uh… So are you a Pokémon with Telepathy, by any chance?" I shook my head. "Yeah, it doesn't seem like a Rentorar would have such ability…" She bit her thumbnail, looking very uncertain. "Did you… did you really speak human language when we were falling?"

_Yes, I did_. But I pretended to act as if she was crazy and shook my head. _I was turned into a Kolink by a Natio, and the only way to reverse this is to evolve until I'm a human. I'm at the last stage_. I rolled onto my back and leaned my head against the cool carpet. _The fact that I'm talking right now must mean that I'm near the end._ I couldn't talk. I had no desire to show that girl that I can really talk.

I was surprised that she was still there. I expected her to go away when she realized I couldn't talk **human language**.

We stayed silent for a few moments before engaging into conversation again. I averted my eyes to hers, using the most firm stare I can manage. _Listen, I don't want you to go around telling people that you __**thought**__ you heard me speak._ That was my message to her.

As if Touko understood me, she nodded. "Don't worry about that," she reassured. "I haven't even told my twin, so you don't need to say anything further." She then looked at me with scrutinizing eyes. "Hm… Maybe I just went a little crazy because I was going to die."

"_Who wouldn't have?"_ Pochama asked. _"I mean, even I thought I went insane. I didn't really think that he'd be able to talk like a human."_

"Translation, please?" Touko requested me.

I pursed my lips, trying to find the best way I can summarize that into gestures. I first pointed at him, then at Touko, and then to my head in a spiral motion. Yes, I was telling her that Pochama said she was crazy. I stared at the ceiling. I felt dead all of a sudden. This felt like the worst week ever.

The dark brunette laughed nervously. "Yeah, I figured. I guess near-death experiences make you go crazy sometimes. Oh, and I kinda asked Hikari-San where her room was so I can thank you." She didn't seem as energetic as the first time we've met her. "Uh, Rentorar, have you by any chance found anything suspicious when you arrived to our car?" I cocked a brow in confusion. "Oh, forget what I said then. I'll explain later tomorrow morning."

She then stood up and dusted herself off. She started walking towards the door, her head slightly hanging low.

"You should get some rest. You must've developed some trauma because of that **moss**," I inaudibly muttered in acrimony. I hid my head under my paws, trying to remember if there was anything out of the ordinary like Touko had said.

Touko turned and smiled at me. "You deserve some rest, Rentorar. You saved us after all. Thanks." She then went out the door, but she then crashed into Jun. "Ow! Jun-San, watch where you're going!"

"It doesn't matter!" Jun exclaimed. "You didn't die, right?!" (I wanted to laugh at how blunt he was. Typical Jun.) He suddenly shook me and Pochama frantically. "Dudes, you've gotta go to Hikari NOW. She's crying her eyes out right now!" Pochama and I gave each other a deadpanned look. "I'm not kidding. I'm totally serious, you two. She just sat down and started crying an ocean!"

"O-!" I instinctively shut my mouth and nodded in a succumbing manner. _What is she crying about now? I'm alive, aren't I?_ I quickly followed Jun – with Pochama riding on my back – to where Hikari was. She was sitting on the sofa with that other brunette. I took a deep breath, ready to accept whatever she was going to bombard us with.

"Rentorar and Pochama would've died if you two didn't come along!" she cried. "Thanks so much, Haruka!" Tears were welling up in her eyes as she tried her best to hold them back. "If they didn't make it, I… I…"

Haruka smiled sympathetically as she gently patted Hikari's head. "There, there…" She glanced at me and urged me to come over. "Come on, those two are alive, so don't cry." She gave Hikari a reassuring hug. "I don't think you should be showing those tears to them. They're right in front of you."

Hikari's head perked up and stared long and hard at us. Her face turned extremely red, and she wiped her tears away. "Oh Arceus, I didn't want you to see me! Did Jun lead you here?!" We nodded silently. "That hard-headed…!"

_Worried to the point of crying, huh? Although I am certain that those tears are mostly for Pochama…_ I lowered my head for a moment to think. I approached Hikari and nuzzled my head below her hand. I wanted to show her that crying wouldn't help… but that I'd still be there for her. I leaned my whole head against her leg, my eyes closed.

"…" Hikari combed my mane with her warm, slender fingers. I heard her softly giggle when I looked up at her. That brunette, Haruka, smiled at us.

"Aw, that's cute!" she commented. "If Rentorar was a human, you two would be a really adorable couple!"

Hikari and I blushed a deep red.

Pochama hopped onto Hikari's lap and pointed at me. _"That's so not fair!"_ he exclaimed. _"I'm Hikari-Chan's partner, so I should comfort her!"_ I stared at him with deadpanned eyes. _"Hmph! You're not gonna get to me!"_ He then hugged Hikari. _"It's okay, Hikari-Chan. Don't cry."_

Hikari turned her attention to her partner. She lifted him up. "I'm so glad you're not hurt, Pochama!" Once again, tears threatened to resurface. "I wouldn't have known what to do if you were gone!"

"_There you go again!"_ Pochama sighed. He put his arms out. _"You know you need it."_ She gave in and hugged Pochama tightly. A tear slipped out and rolled down her cheek. I was certain of it now, but it was obvious. Pochama has been with her the longest, so it was inevitable that her tears were for him. Oddly, I didn't feel too happy about it.

Hmmm… actually, strike that. What was that word…? It felt like an urge to just take Pochama off of her arms. I definitely wouldn't say that I didn't like those two hugging, but I just felt slightly isolated. Oh well, there was no use over-thinking about it. It was better to see Hikari relieved and happy.

That's when I started to wonder…

How would she react if I really did explain my situation to her? Would she really become heartbroken? Would she accept the truth? No, that was impossible. At the most, she would need some time to think. The worst case scenario that I could think of was that she refused to ever talk to me again. I didn't want that to happen.

But I knew I had to tell her the truth at some point.

~.~.~

"How is she?" The green-haired boy approached us. The question was directed at Haruka. He glanced at Hikari, who fell asleep (along with the penguin) holding Pochama in her arms. I just lent her my body as a pillow. I curled my body around her, my head placed on my paws. This sofa was rather large for humans to sit on. I figured this was actually built for Pokémon like my appearance.

"She's finally calmed down," Haruka replied. She patted Hikari's head as she smiled. "It must've been hard for her to go through yesterday." She then looked at that boy. "Shuu, did you see that guy on the ferriswheel that afternoon? I think he pushed that girl, Touko, out."

Shuu seemed to be contemplating about yesterday's incident. "I don't think he did it on accident, and I don't think he did it with evil intentions either. If it was with such intentions, he would've thrown her out the car." He then looked at me, who stared back at him. "That guy would've tried to make it useless for Rentorar to save her."

Haruka scratched her head. "I don't get it. Was there a reason to push her like that?"

"There might've been," Touko answered. We turned our heads to see her behind us. She had all the others behind her too: Touya, Jun, Satoshi, Kasumi, Iris, Dent, Cheren, and Bel. "There's something I need to tell all of you."

"…" I sighed. I rubbed my head against Hikari's to wake her up. Her eyes fluttered open. She gave me a little pat and sat up to rub her eyes. She noticed Touko standing still behind sofa. She had her head hung low, biting her lower lip.

"Touko-Chan?" she called. "What's wrong?"

Touko took a deep breath and nodded with some confidence. "There's something I should've told everyone earlier, but I wasn't too certain of it until now." She stood upright, her arms placed firmly to her side, and her expression changing by the second. "I believe that N pushed me out of the ferriswheel cart to protect me," she declared.

Silence filled the room as everyone processed her words.

"To protect you?" Hikari repeated. Even she seemed unable to believe it. I was even more so.

"Tch," I clicked my tongue. _Are you kidding me?_ It seemed too incredible. There was no way N was trying to protect her. Right?

Shuu and Haruka gave it a thought, exchanging glances before speaking. "I don't think this is a good place to talk. We need to talk in a private room…" With such an incident, it wouldn't have been a surprise if police officers and the press burst in through the doors to talk to us. "Why don't we go to our room? It's the farthest room from here."

Shuu nodded understandingly and stood up. "Come on, let's go." He flicked his green hair to Haruka before continuing his way.

Touko gave Shuu a last look before turning her attention to Haruka. "Rather flamboyant guy, isn't he?" I was glad about one thing: Touko was still able to smile after such a traumatic incident. Perhaps it was her belief that kept her smiling.

We went on our way to Haruka and Shuu's room. Their room was rather large; it was enough fit all of us. We all sat wherever we could and listened in on Touko's story.

"So why do you think he was trying to protect you?" Hikari asked.

"What you thought happened in the ferriswheel car isn't what it seems," Touko started, "I talked to N about what would happen if his own Pokémon was taken away like how he's done to others." She looked down, as if contemplating on the event. "He suddenly started muttering words after I was done speaking. That's when he screamed, "NO!" and opened the car door."

Whispers began to go around us, who were wondering what would've made N react like that.

I swallowed, a small thought bubbling up to my mind. I remembered seeing a flash of green, which brushed past my peripheral vision and disappeared before I was able to fully register the moment. All I was able to register was that that piece of green was not an average passerby or Pokémon; it was deadly, a deadly being. With this thought lingering, I managed to get a vague overview of the incident.

_Fuck this!_ I cursed in my head. Why hadn't I realized it before?!

My head perked up in surprise when I felt a hand brush my mane. It was Hikari's hand, softly reassuring me that everything will be fine. Our eyes locked for a moment before I sent her a message through this one contact.

_I think I know what happened._

Hikari's eyes widened when she received my message. "Guys…" Everyone turned their heads to her. They were glad that someone finally spoke up after such an awkward silence filled with whispers. "I think… Rentorar got something."

Now all eyes were on me. I suddenly felt claustrophobic with all this pressure. Did they expect me to talk like a human would? Of course not… _Although it would be very convenient…_ I shook away the voice in my head, screaming at me to talk. I sighed, paws under my muzzle; I wondered how the hell I was going to tell them about my idea.

Pochama patted my sides, averting my attention to him. _"Shinji, are you really going to talk?"_ I gave him a good blank stare before shaking my head. _"Then tell me. I'm willing to explain it somehow."_ His offer surprised me. I didn't think he would actually offer embarrassing himself by trying to explain my view. I fought back a smirk at the thought of it.

He tugged on my paw, motioning me to follow him outside so I can talk more freely. I hesitantly got up and followed Pochama out, leaving behind many confused witnesses. I shot a reassuring look to Hikari, letting her know that I'll be back.

"_Alright, talk to me."_ Pochama stood firmly, his flippers across his chest.

"You sure about this?" I softly whispered. I looked beyond the door. Everyone stayed still, talking to Touko about the incident. Good, no one was coming near us.

Pochama gave me a confident nod.

I sighed, hesitant about whether I really should give my opinion on this. It's not as if they'd be able to completely understand Pochama. But this little penguin was my best bet for now. I couldn't risk showing my new… ability.

"When everyone was discussing the incident, I felt something. I saw something in the corner of my eye." I paused to look at Pochama, who seemed to take a note of it. "I saw something light green brush past us in the corner of my eye. I couldn't really make out what it was. But all I know is that it wasn't just another person or Pokémon. It was something… ominous."

Thinking back on it, my mouth suddenly felt try and a chill went down my spine. Whoever or whatever it was, it wanted us gone.

"The worse thing is…" I hesitated, but I had to continue anyways, "… It wasn't N."

Pochama's eyes slightly widened at my claim. _"You're sure about that?"_

"It's possible it could've been him. But the stranger thing is that N didn't give off such a deadly vibe. He seemed less dangerous and innocent, surprisingly." I took another look at the door. Still, no one bothered to check on us. I did, however, see Hikari giving the door a worried look.

"It's all I got from this, Pochama." I sat on my hind legs, staring at the ceiling. "I'm getting the feeling that that _thing_ was why N had to push her out."

"_Alright. Thanks, buddy."_ He gave me a pat on my front leg and proceeded to open the door. _"Let's go back in. I think I know how to explain this, somehow."_

"Since when did you start calling me 'buddy'?" I chuckled before I entered the room.

While Pochama quickly tried to explain what I thought of, everyone seemed to understand him. I was almost impressed. To think that they would understand a Pokémon's language… even if they were just simple gestures.

I then wondered…

Were there times when my own Pokémon had something they desperately wanted to tell me? I couldn't remember.

"So Rentorar sensed someone else nearby, huh?" Shuu commented. "But who could that have been?" He crossed arms and leaned back in a comfortable position, contemplating the situation.

"Well, thinking about… Pochama's words," Cheren started, "I can only deduce that that person was N, but if you say that it wasn't, I don't have any more ideas of who it can be."

"It could've been a passerby, but I don't think Rentorar would've sensed such ominous airs from them if it was so."

Everyone was stuck. Even Touko didn't seem to have any clue of who it must've been.

"But all I know is that N was trying to protect me," Touko firmly continued. "See, right when Rentorar crashed into our car, an attack hit the car. I don't think Rentorar noticed because he happened to enter at the same time. That's when N pushed me and sent Rentorar diving after me." She turned to Hikari with a slightly shaky voice, "Um, I still apologize for making Rentorar go through such lengths to save me." She slightly bowed her head to Hikari and me.

"N-no no no, don't even think about it," Hikari reassured. "As long as you guys are safe, you don't have to apologize to me." She placed a hand on Touko's shoulder and patted it. "You were really scared at that time, weren't you?"

Bel hugged Touko tight, patting her head. "You went through something so tough…"

I looked up, finding shining tears flowing down Touko's cheek. It seemed as if she's been holding back for a long time. She sniffed, holding her hands up to cup her face. "I… I thought I was going to die…" We spent the remaining time we had left comforting Touko while trying to figure out the culprit.

Comforting Touko was a success.

Finding out the culprit… Not so much.

~.~.~

Cheren and Bel decided to leave for the day and moved on to the next city. Soon enough, Kasumi, Haruka, and Shuu had to depart to their homes too.

While Hikari and I approached Haruka and Shuu to say our farewells, I couldn't help but look towards the port. It felt like I was reading a storybook. Satoshi and Kasumi were standing on the wooden port to go to Kantou, the sea glowing a gradient of orange to red. The lights reflected on their profiles, making the atmosphere feel a lot more comfortable.

I thought it was a well-matched scenery for them.

They must've been feeling emotional after seeing each other for a day. But now that they have to be apart again, I was sure that it wouldn't go easy. Yet I felt as if they've gone through this before. Most likely, considering their relationship. I had to admit, there were things even I didn't know anything about Satoshi.

It took me a few minutes to realize that I was staring and tore my eyes away from them to give them privacy.

"By the way, Hikari…" Haruka leaned towards Hikari's ear to whisper something. I raised a brow at Shuu, questioning the action. He smirked and shrugged. He knew something… "I've been going out with Shuu for a while."

Hikari gaped at the sudden declaration. "You… you… Wha-?" Haruka giggled at her reaction. "Uh, w-when did this happen?"

"Oh, it happened after the Shinou Mikuri Cup (Sinnoh Wallace Cup)." Haruka blushed, lightly scratching her cheek. "He asked me out after I came back home. You had no idea how shocked I was…"

Shuu flicked his hair to the side. "Well, I was going to ask you out whether you won or not." He brushed some of Haruka's hair strands away. "I'm sure it made your day, huh?"

"Yeah, well, it did in many ways." Haruka averted her attention to Hikari and smiled. "By the way, I wish you luck with that Shinji guy." She winked when Hikari blushed. "Don't forget that little girl talk we had earlier, okay?"

"S-stop it, Haruka, not in front of Rentorar…" She looked down at me in embarrassment, mouthing a 'sorry' to me. It's not like I hated it. I felt light from the brunette's words. The brunette only laughed, hugging Hikari tight.

"Let's go, Haruka. It's getting late." Shuu called. He got out his Flygon, telling her to hop on.

"You guys arrived with a Flygon?" Hikari asked. "Wow, it must've taken a lot of time to get here then."

Haruka shook her head. "Nah, we're only going to Shinou on Flygon. That's where our boat to Houen will be." She hopped onto Flygon's back, gripping onto Shuu's waist. "We'll see you next time, Hikari!" With that, they took flight and glided across the sky.

I looked at the ports just in time to see Satoshi waving good-bye to Kasumi. They both had smiles on their faces. But Kasumi seemed to be crying at the same time.

Girls.

I looked back to see Touya and Jun comforting Touko about earlier today. As soon as Shuu and Haruka were like ants in the sky, Hikari and I walked back to those three.

"Hikari-San, thank you so much for yesterday and today." Touko smiled widely. "I probably wouldn't have felt better if it wasn't for all of you." She looked at the ocean and looked back to her. "You have a lot of great friends, Hikari-San."

Hikari blushed, rubbing her head in embarrassment. "Y-yeah, I do…" She looked up at Touko and Touya and grasped their hands. "You guys have great friends too, you guys. Cheren and Bel… They're good people. Hang onto them."

Touya gave Touko a soft pat on the back. "She'll be fine. She may seem like a crybaby, but she's pretty strong.

"T-Touya…!" Touko elbowed her twin brother in the ribs, pouting at his remark. "I'm not a crybaby!" Touya only chuckled at her retort. "Anyways, I'm sorry about making you, Rentorar, and Pochama going through all the trouble." She gave us a small bow, almost flustering Hikari.

"A-ah, n-no need to do that!" She shook her hands frantically. "I'm just relieved you're okay, you know?" Hikari smiled back. "So will you be moving on to the next city or will you be staying here for a while?"

"I'll have to stay here for a bit. I still need to manage the Pokémon Musical after all." Touko shrugged. "Touya's most likely going to go follow Cheren and Bel to defeat the other gyms. Don't worry about me though. I'll be fine."

"If you say so…" Hikari hesitantly replied.

"Well, if you'll excuse me…"

We forgot about Jun…

"I need to have a little talk with Hikari. Feel better, Touko." Jun grabbed Hikari by the wrist and quickly led her a few feet away from them. I followed behind. "So how long will we be staying here?" he whispered to her. "Because there are battle places I wanna check out, if ya don't mind."

"I don't mind at all, Jun. But make sure you don't get into any serious fights, okay?" She sighed as she crossed her arms. "I know how hot-blooded you can get when you're… you know… all fired up with battles and all."

"I'm not _that_ hot-blooded!" Jun retorted. "And I'm _not_ gonna get into any fights at all, either!" He puffed out his cheeks and stomped away to the Pokémon Center."

We both rolled our eyes and bid our farewells to the twins, and then headed back to the Pokémon Center also. I'm sure Satoshi, Iris, and Dent were there too. The center felt quite empty. Without all those people to occupy the space here, it didn't feel like today's discussion happened at all.

The three were sitting around the couches, calling us over.

"Haha, it suddenly feels a bit lonely here, doesn't it?" Hikari dryly laughed. "Gee, I'm so tired…" She took a deep breath and flopped down onto the couch next to Iris.

"Busy day today, wasn't it?" Iris grinned. "Well, it's great that we've managed to help Touko feel better. But I wish we could've got some clues with that N person…" She suddenly slapped her mouth shut. "… Oh no…"

"Did you just say 'clues'?" Dent curiously asked. "Well then, if it's clues, leave that up to-!"

Iris slapped some tape onto Dent's lips and muttered, "Dent, let's not get so worked up again like last time…" Her eye slightly twitched as if she was reminiscing about a certain event. "It's late and I don't want to go through your detective play again." That gave a harsh blow to Dent. He bent over like he was shot with a bazooka.

Satoshi laughed at their little exchange. "They're always like that, so don't fret." He took his hat off and exhaled deeply. "Geez, today was such a long day. I think we should all turn in soon, don't you think?"

Coming from him, it was a surprise. Normally he'd train until the night… right?

"As shocking as it seems coming from your mouth, Satoshi, you're right. We should rest," Hikari murmured in agreement. She then looked at Jun, who was checking out his Pokémons' conditions. "I'm not sure about him though. He's still fired up like always."

"Hey, even I have those days…!" Satoshi whined. "It's not like I have infinite energy!"

_I thought you did with all those remarks you shot at me back then,_ I thought. Thinking back, it was amusing and annoying at the same time… watching him make such friendly greetings and talking to me about Pokémon as friends. "Hn." I softly chuckled to myself at the memories. It only felt like yesterday when Satoshi first yelled at me about my way of treating Pokémon. I can't forget about that time when Hikari…

I. Need. To. Stop.

Shaking my head, I sighed. This wasn't going to work. I had to tell her.

Soon.

I then noticed Pikachu staring at me. I cocked a brow at him, shooting him a questioning look. _What are you staring at me for?_

Pikachu looked at Satoshi before jumping out towards me. _"Hey, Shinji, how's everything going for you?"_ I opened my mouth to speak, but closed it shut. I turned my head to the side. I motioned at him to follow me as I walked towards the dorm corridors. Pikachu tilted his head to the side in curiosity but followed me anyways. _"Is something wrong?"_

"I can talk."

His eyes widened like he's seen a ghost. _"What the-?"_ He frantically looked around. _"Doesn't that mean you're really close to turning human?"_ He looked slightly disappointed when I nodded. _"I see… Do you know when you will?"_

"No… And I don't have a plan to cover this up either." I pursed my lips. "Hikari will end up knowing eventually. But, I don't want her to know."

"_Why not?"_

"What if she doesn't want to talk with me anymore?"

Pikachu gave me a sympathetic look. _"She won't. She loves you. You love her. I'm sure she'll understand."_ He placed a paw on mine and patted it lightly. _"You're afraid of hurting her, I know. But if it's the only way for her to accept it now and treat it well later, then it's better to tell her now. If you suddenly turn back while she's on her usual routine, I can't say for sure if she'll take it well."_

I groaned in frustration. "Again, what if she _doesn't_ accept it well if I tell her now? You need to think of other possibilities!" I was becoming irritated. I didn't know why this mouse couldn't see other possible scenarios that I was having!

"_Because I know her enough to know that she will accept it. It may take her a while to process, but she __**will**__ accept your condition."_ Pikachu locked eyes with me and shot me a firm look. _"And considering how you were with her 24/7 until now, you should know by now too._"

I covered my head with my paws. "Ugh, I'm getting a headache…" The sudden realization that I haven't talked with Dodaitose ever since we started moving to Raimon City even worsened my headache. "You know what, never mind… I'll try to figure this out myself."

"_I'm willing to give you privacy. But I still insist that she'll accept you even in this condition."_ Pikachu looked back at the rest. _"Do you want me to get Dodaitose's PokéBall? I'm sure you'll have a nice conversation after such a long time."_

"Would you…?" I peeked to find a beaming Pikachu.

"_Hey, you changed a lot since you became a Kolink, didn't ya?"_ He grinned, elbowing my forelegs. _"It's like we're buddies now, asking me for advice and stuff."_

I dryly chuckled. "First Pochama, now you. What's with you guys calling me 'buddy' today?"

Pikachu only laughed and went back to get Dodaitose's PokéBall. Once he did, I took the PokéBall and went outside alone. I clicked the button to let Dodaitose out. If he was angry with me, I was ready to receive anything that would come from Dodaitose's heart. It was the least I could do after all those years of neglecting my Pokémon, particularly my very first.

The giant silhouette of Dodaitose appeared before me. I sat on my hind legs, preparing myself.

He finally materialized, looking at his surroundings. He then looked at me, fell silent for a moment, and smiled. _"It's been a while, Shinji."_

I was taken aback. I didn't think he'd smile and greet me with such a friendly air. "Dodaitose… I can talk like a human can… It happened yesterday." He also looked frightened at my sudden change. "And… now that I can, I want to say that I'm sorry…" I paused to look up at him. "… for neglecting you and the others before."

Dodaitose nodded in comprehension. _"It's okay, Shinji. You never neglected us. You only wanted us to become stronger, right?"_ He tilted his head while smiling warmly at me. _"It was you, after all. Everyone has their own way of caring for their Pokémon."_

"But…"

"_No buts. Even if you don't need to apologize, I accept it. I accept you for who you are."_ He nuzzled his head with mine. _"To think I would hear such words once I'm out… It's a bit shocking, but I kinda like it."_

I closed my eyes, letting Dodaitose show me the affection he's always wanted to display.

I smiled.

_It's warm._

~.~.~

_**Later during the night…**_

Everyone was asleep in their designated rooms: girls in one room and boys in the other. Dent had his hands full, didn't he?

One loophole about being a Pokémon was that they can choose where to sleep in.

I don't need to say anything about this, yes?

I curled up beside Hikari's bed. However, I couldn't sleep. Telling her the truth has been weighing down on my mind this whole day. I sighed softly, looking outside the window. It was half open and a nice breeze was flowing in. My head looked up from my paws.

_Should I really tell her? Today?_ I wondered. Looking back at Hikari's sleeping face, I knew that my best bet was that she'll think it was a dream. This time, I groaned. _Luck just isn't on my side tonight._ My eyes wandered over to some of the Pokémon sleeping on the floor. None of them looked like they were going to wake up any time soon.

I stood up and moved closer to Hikari's bed. I looked at her peaceful, sleeping face. I didn't want to hurt her. I didn't want such a person like her to show me a hurt expression.

_I've already thought about what to say, but how? I think that's the problem here…_ I looked over to Iris, who was in deep sleep. There was no way she can wake up from hearing whispers, right? Besides, it'll be like a Pokémon was sleep talking. _In human language,_ I thought dryly. _I suppose I can tell her like this to ease myself when I tell her next time…_

My eyes looked at Hikari again. I took a deep breath as I laid my front paws out next to Hikari's head. I leaned my head on my paws, observing her for a second.

"Hikari, it's me… Shinji." I looked for any signs of waking up. She didn't stir or change her breathing. "I've… been meaning to tell you something that I was hiding from you. That same Kolink you met that day and evolved into a Rentorar… It was me. I'm sorry I was hiding it from you, but I didn't want to see you hurt." I paused, sighing. "But…"

Iris turned in her sleep and sent me into panic. I ducked under the bed, almost hitting my head on the mattress frame. After I felt the coast was clear, I climbed up the bed and curled up next to her arms. "I'm not sure how you're going to react when I really tell you." I shook my head. "If you can't forgive for it, I understand. I'll even disappear somewhere if you want me to."

I nuzzled her hand, placing my head close to it. "That's… how much I've come to love you. I'm willing to do anything to keep you safe and happy." Thinking back on everything, I almost thought it made sense. But why her? Before I knew it, I already began to like everything about her. I found it all comforting and warm, something I've never let my own Pokémon or the people around me feel.

"I'll tell you tomorrow, Hikari…" I muttered. "I will give you a full explanation too, if you want. But that'll come after your decision about me." I leaned in and lightly kissed her on the cheek. "I'm sorry."

I fully curled up, hiding my face in my fur. _My Arceus, that was embarrassing! Why did I do that?!_

Spur of the moment. Ugh.

I fell asleep quickly, keeping my words in mind. I was going to tell her the truth tomorrow. Just her. No one else.

But why couldn't I notice those shining, blue cobalt orbs, those eyes that opened after I fell asleep, that were silently crying throughout the night?

~.~.~

_A/N: … Shinji's in trouble… (._.) I'M FINALLY DONE WITH THIS UPDATE! *FLIPS TABLE* God, I am a horrible author for making you guys wait for so long… QAQ Sorry, everyone! But trust me, our stories have NOT been abandoned in ANY way. We will continue them as soon as we have the chance. Thanks so much for the reviews!_

_Please review this chapter and tell me what you think!_

_~Hana_


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